Advance Directive Attorney Serving the DMV
Thienel Law prepares advance healthcare directives, including living wills and healthcare agents, for adults in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. Free consultation.
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An advance healthcare directive is the document that records the medical care you want and names a person to speak for you if you cannot. Thienel Law prepares advance directives for adults across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, coordinated with the rest of your estate plan.
An advance healthcare directive is a legal document that states the medical care you want, or do not want, and names a person to make health decisions for you if you cannot speak for yourself. It has two parts: a living will that records your treatment wishes, and the appointment of a healthcare agent, sometimes called a medical power of attorney. Thienel Law prepares these documents for adults across the DMV and fits each one to the rest of your estate plan. Because Stephen Thienel is licensed in all three DMV jurisdictions, one attorney can prepare a directive that fits the rules of the state where you live and coordinates with the rest of your plan.
What is an advance healthcare directive, and who needs one?
An advance healthcare directive is a legal document in which you, while you still have capacity, set out your medical wishes and name a healthcare agent to carry them out if you lose the ability to decide. The living will part speaks to treatment: what you want if you are dying, unconscious, or unable to communicate. The agent part names a trusted person to make the calls your document does not spell out.
This directive governs your medical care. Decisions about your money and property run through a separate financial power of attorney, so a complete plan usually includes both. Almost every adult benefits from an advance directive. It matters most for anyone facing surgery, a serious diagnosis, or advancing age, and for adults who want to spare their family a guessing game.
What happens if you have no advance directive during a medical crisis?
If you cannot communicate and no directive is in place, your family is left to guess. Doctors turn to a surrogate chosen by statute, not by you. That may be a relative you would not have picked, and it forces people who love you to make wrenching choices with no guidance.
Disagreement among family members can stall your care or end up in court. A signed advance directive prevents that. You state your wishes in advance and name the one person who speaks for you, so the hospital knows who decides and what you want.
What does Thienel Law prepare in an advance directive?
Thienel Law builds each directive around your values, your family, and your jurisdiction, not a form printed off a website.
- A living will that records the treatment you want and the treatment you would refuse, including life-sustaining measures.
- The appointment of a healthcare agent to make medical decisions when you cannot, with a successor agent named as backup.
- Clear instructions on the situations that matter to you, such as end-of-life care, resuscitation, and pain management.
- Guidance on organ and tissue donation if you choose to include it.
- Execution that meets your jurisdiction’s witness rules, so hospitals and physicians accept the document.
- A HIPAA authorization so your agent can see the medical records needed to decide.
- Coordination with your financial power of attorney, your will, and any trust, so nothing contradicts.
What is it like to set up an advance directive with Steve?
Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute consultation. It is a fit conversation for people who are ready to hire an estate planning attorney. You describe your situation and what matters to you about your care, and you and Steve decide together whether working with him makes sense. It is not a full medical or legal strategy session; it is where you see if the fit is right.
From there you work directly with Stephen Thienel, not a rotating cast of staff. The practice runs online. Secure video meetings, shared folders, and electronic signatures let you handle the work from home. Steve makes sure the signing meets your jurisdiction’s witness rules, so the directive holds up when a hospital needs it.
How do advance directive rules differ in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia?
All three jurisdictions let you put your medical wishes in writing and name someone to speak for you. Where they differ is in how the document is signed and how it is organized.
The signing rule is the clearest difference from a financial power of attorney. A financial power of attorney generally must be notarized. An advance directive does not need a notary; it is executed in front of witnesses instead. Maryland requires the directive to be signed in front of two witnesses, and the person you name as your agent cannot be one of them. Virginia also requires the directive to be signed before two subscribing witnesses. The District requires two adult witnesses as well, with strict limits on who qualifies, including barring anyone who would inherit from you.
The other difference is structure. Maryland and Virginia let you combine your treatment wishes and your choice of agent in a single advance directive. The District splits them: the living will comes from one statute and the healthcare agent from another, so a full plan there often uses two coordinated documents. Because Stephen Thienel is licensed in all three, one attorney can prepare a directive that fits the rules where you live.
Where does an advance directive fit in your estate plan?
An advance directive protects your medical care. It works alongside the documents that manage your money and direct your property.
What clients say about working with Steve
I have worked with Steve Thienel for more than 20 years now and the experience has been amazing. Steve and his team are very thorough, they review all sides of a situation, and are very measured in how they approach a solution. They are 100% client focused and a pleasure to work with!
Throughout years, Steve has been my go to guy for business, real estate, and legal work. Steve works fast and is highly reliable. I would recommend Steve to anyone.
Received expert advice including options when applicable. Filings were timely and I was kept informed each step of the way. First class service!!!
I have been receiving services from Mr. Thienel for over 15 years. I have found his legal services to be of exceptionally high value and quality. His services are always timely, professional and thorough!
Reviews are published as given. Thienel Law does not offer compensation for reviews.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a living will and an advance directive?
An advance directive is the full document. A living will is one part of it, the part that records the medical treatment you want or refuse. The other part names a healthcare agent to make decisions your living will does not cover. Most complete directives include both.
Is an advance directive the same as a healthcare power of attorney?
A healthcare power of attorney, also called a medical power of attorney or appointment of a healthcare agent, is the part of an advance directive that names your decision-maker. A living will handles your treatment wishes. Thienel Law prepares both together so your directive covers who decides and what you want.
Does my advance directive need to be notarized in Maryland, D.C., or Virginia?
No. In all three, an advance directive is signed in front of two witnesses rather than notarized. Maryland bars the agent you name from serving as a witness, and the District limits who may witness, so the choice of witnesses matters. Steve makes sure the signing meets your jurisdiction's rules.
Who should I name as my healthcare agent?
Choose someone you trust to follow your wishes and stay calm under pressure, and who is willing to serve. Many people name a spouse, adult child, or close friend, with a backup in case the first choice cannot act. It helps to pick someone who can be reached quickly and will speak up with doctors.
Will my advance directive still work if I move between DMV states?
The three jurisdictions have different signing and structural rules, so a directive built for one state may not fit another cleanly. If you move or split time across the DMV, a review is wise. Because Stephen Thienel is licensed in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, he can prepare or update your directive so it matches your current state.
Ready to put an advance directive in place across the DMV?
Stephen Thienel prepares advance healthcare directives for adults across the DMV, coordinated with the rest of your estate plan. If you are ready to hire an estate planning attorney, schedule a free 30-minute consultation and see whether the fit is right.
- Tell Steve about your matter
- Pick a time that works