Living Wills & Advance Directives in St. Tammany Parish
Putting Your Medical Wishes in Writing Before a Crisis Arrives
A medical emergency can happen without warning, and when it does, the people closest to you may face impossible questions about your care. Louisiana law gives you a direct way to answer those questions in advance. Under Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, a living will is formally called a Declaration Concerning Life-Sustaining Procedures. It lets you state whether you want life-sustaining treatment withheld or withdrawn if you’re diagnosed with a terminal and irreversible condition or a comparable condition that prevents you from communicating your own wishes.
Without that document in place, family members are left to interpret what you would have wanted, sometimes under pressure and sometimes in disagreement. Olsen Law Office is based in St. Tammany Parish and works with clients throughout Mandeville, Covington, and the surrounding area so those decisions can reflect your wishes.
Louisiana keeps the formal requirements for a Declaration Concerning Life-Sustaining Procedures straightforward. The document must be in writing and signed by you, the declarant. It must also be witnessed by two people who aren’t related to you by blood or marriage and have no entitlement to any part of your estate. Notarization isn’t required for the declaration to be legally valid.
The declaration doesn’t take effect the moment you sign it. It becomes operative only after your attending physician and a second physician both certify that you have a terminal and irreversible condition, or a comparable condition that prevents you from making your own medical decisions. You can revoke the document at any time by destroying it, signing a written revocation, or making an oral statement to your attending physician. You also have the option to register the declaration with the Louisiana Secretary of State for a filing fee, which allows healthcare providers to confirm its existence in their records.
Living Will, Healthcare Power of Attorney, & DNR: What’s the Difference?
These three documents address different situations, and confusing them can leave meaningful gaps in your incapacity planning. Understanding what each one does helps you decide which combination is right for your circumstances.
Living Will
A living will states your treatment preferences directly in the document itself. It doesn’t give any other person authority over your care.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
A healthcare power of attorney appoints a chosen agent to make broader medical decisions on your behalf whenever you’re unable to communicate, covering situations well beyond a terminal diagnosis.
Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Order
A do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order is narrower still. It generally addresses only cardiac or respiratory arrest and is signed by a physician, making it a clinical order rather than a personal declaration.
Many people use both a living will and a healthcare power of attorney so that your specific wishes are documented and a trusted person has the authority to handle situations the document doesn’t anticipate.
When There’s No Advance Directive: Decision-Making in St. Tammany Parish
Louisiana law establishes a priority order for medical decision-making when an incapacitated adult has no advance directive. That order typically begins with a spouse, then moves to adult children, parents, and siblings. The hierarchy works when family relationships are clear and everyone agrees. It breaks down when they don’t.
If no legally authorized decision-maker is available or family members are in conflict, court involvement may become necessary. In St. Tammany Parish, incapacity-related proceedings fall under the jurisdiction of the 22nd Judicial District Court, and interdiction, Louisiana’s process for legally appointing someone to act on behalf of an incapacitated adult, can involve significant time and expense. An advance directive can help families reduce the likelihood of that process. We also assist clients with interdiction and tutorship matters when court involvement does become necessary.
A St. Tammany Parish Attorney Who Knows Louisiana Estate Law
Lindsey S. Olsen grew up on the Northshore, attended Fontainebleau High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University, and received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Her practice focuses on estate planning alongside family law and personal injury, which means she approaches advance directive work with an understanding of how these documents interact with a client’s broader legal and family circumstances.
Every client’s situation is different. Some people have straightforward wishes and simply need a properly executed document. Others have complicated family dynamics, specific medical concerns, or questions about how a Declaration Concerning Life-Sustaining Procedures fits alongside other estate planning documents. We take the time to understand those specifics before drafting anything.
What to Expect When You Work with Us
Our process is practical and client-focused. We start by listening to your actual medical preferences and the circumstances around them, not by handing you a generic form. From there, we draft a declaration that reflects what you’ve told us, walk you through what it means, and handle the execution formalities correctly so the document is properly completed when it matters.
We handle these conversations with care. Thinking through end-of-life medical decisions isn’t easy, and we don’t rush the process. Our goal is a document that genuinely represents your wishes and leaves you with a clear understanding of how it works under Louisiana law.
Schedule Your Consultation in St. Tammany Parish
Don’t leave these decisions to chance or to a family disagreement in a hospital waiting room. Olsen Law Office serves clients throughout St. Tammany Parish, including Mandeville and Covington, and we’re ready to help you put a valid, personalized advance directive in place.
Lindsey is a lifelong resident of the Northshore, having graduated from Fontainebleau High School. She then went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University, and her Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. During her time spent at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, she was a student practitioner in the Family Law Section of the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice.
“She is very organized and efficient and clearly explained the final steps of the process.”
Lindsey Olsen provided an excellent service and put her vast knowledge of family and estate planning on full display. She is a true professional and made all of the concerning legal matters regarding our wills and continuing tutorship for our special needs son a walk in the park. She is very organized and efficient and clearly explained the final steps of the process. We enjoyed working with Lindsey and certainly recommend her to other prospective clients.
Lisa & Craig
“I am so grateful for her services.”
Lindsey has such a calm and empathetic demeanor. She offered so much emotional support for my family and I while remaining focused on our best interest at all times, she explains everything in detail, and is readily available to answer any of my questions. Lindsey is knowledgeable, trustworthy, and to the point. I am so grateful for her services.
Amanda
“Proved to be reliable, trustworthy and honest.”
When my father passed away. We reached out to Lindsey Olsen to do his succession. It was a very difficult time for my mother, brother, and I. She was incredibly patient and professional. All our questions were answered and the process was as smooth as possible. She proved to be reliable, trustworthy and honest. We will definitely use her services again.
