A living will—also known as an Advance Health Care Directive—is a document in which the declarant or principal (person making the living will) specifies what kind of medical treatment the declarant does and does not want if the declarant has a medical emergency and is unable to communicate those wishes. A living will may direct health care providers to administer, withhold, or withdraw life-sustaining treatments if the declarant is in a terminal or irreversible condition.

Laws and terminology for documents related to living wills, Advance Health Care Directives, Do Not Resuscitate orders (DNRs), and other health care documents vary from state to state. These laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the probate code or estates code.

In Utah, a living will is known as an Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD). Under Utah law, specifically the Utah Advance Health Care Directive Act (Utah Code Ann. §§ 75-2a-101 to -122), an individual can outline their health care preferences for situations where they are unable to make decisions due to incapacity. This includes specifying preferences for life-sustaining treatment, such as artificial nutrition and hydration, if they are in a terminal condition or permanently unconscious. The AHCD can also appoint a health care agent to make decisions on the individual's behalf. Additionally, Utah recognizes Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, which are separate documents that instruct medical personnel not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the individual's heart stops or if they stop breathing. It's important for individuals to ensure that their AHCD and any other health care directives are in compliance with Utah law to be legally enforceable.