California court tosses lawsuit challenging assisted suicide

A California appeals court has overturned a lower court ruling that found the state's assisted suicide law was unconstitutional.

A panel of the Fourth District Court of Appeals in Riverside said doctors who brought the case had no legal standing because they could choose not to help terminally ill patients die.

The court didn’t rule on the constitutionality of the law.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Daniel Ottolia had declared the law unconstitutional because it was adopted during a special legislative session addressing other matters.

The 2-1 ruling says the lawsuit could be amended and justices suggested how a prosecutor could establish legal standing to challenge the rule.

Supporters of the law cheered the ruling, but say they expect further challenges from opponents of assisted suicide.