I must point out the difference between "brain dead" and "persistent vegetative state." By law, brain dead qualifies for death. It's when everything in the brain is gone except for the brain stem(the part of the brain that controls heart rate, breathing, etc.). If she was brain dead, there would not be this controversy.

However, she's in a "persistent vegetative state." That means that the part of her brain that forms concious thought is gone, and she can basically just lie there and make occasional involuntary actions, such that might led the uninformed to believe that she is reacting to something(see all those Schiavo movies on the internet which are Terri making involuntary actions to the camera with her parents, making it look like she's reacting to her parents. However, as judges ruled, these are occasional, involuntary actions). Her brain is there, but the part that made her...well, her, is gone. And, according to all the doctors except for the ones hired by the parents(including the independent experts sent by the court), she will never recover.

My question is how do the courts know that she would have wanted to die? And hell, even if she did, she might change her mind once the time to die actually comes. I don't think it's right for the court to make this decision. They don't know for sure, therefore she should be kept alive. What's worse keeping someone alive ifthey don't want to live, or killing someone when they don't want to die?
1. I dunno why the courts ruled that she wanted to die. I just know they heard testimony from Michael and her parents and other people, and ruled that she did(which was affirmed in the court of appeals). Florida law mandates that the judges err in valuing life in circumstances like these, so it must have been pretty convincing evidence to make two sets of judges hop over the fence.

2. It's called a living will. Yes, it's possible that the patient might change their mind, but if a living will(written, oral, or inferred), is left, then by law it must be followed. It's absolutely right for the court to make this decision - if you don't like it, argue with Congress. The courts only follow the law, they don't make it.

3. How do you know she didn't want to die? The lower Florida court ruled, time and again, that she did, and the Florida court of appeals affirmed, time and again, the lower courts' ruling. Seems like the husband has a pretty strong case.