Legal Rights and the Human Body
It is well known that the number of disputed wills and estates has been steadily on the rise. One aspect of dispute that you might not have expected is the question of what happens to a loved one’s body when they die. The Law Commission, as the body that reviews the law on behalf of the government, has announced in its 13th report on future projects that they may try to set out a modern framework for disposing of the dead. The thinking behind the project is to try and create a clear legal framework to enable the safe and dignified disposal of a person’s remains. It might also better help to respect someone’s wishes as to how their remains are disposed of.
One issue the Law Commission has highlighted is the fact that the current law does not accommodate new, more environmentally friendly methods of disposal. In addition, the current law is outdated, piecemeal and complex.