Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) Practice Exam 2025 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

An advance directive is commonly known as a living will because it is a legal document that outlines a person's preferences regarding medical treatment in situations where they may no longer be able to communicate their wishes. This includes decisions about life-sustaining treatments, resuscitation efforts, and other critical healthcare choices in the event of a terminal illness or unconscious state.

The term "living will" specifically refers to the aspect of advance directives that deals with treatment preferences, distinguishing it from other legal documents like a power of attorney, which grants authority to another individual to make decisions on one's behalf, or a medical proxy, which specifically designates someone to make healthcare decisions if you are unable to do so. Legal testament is a term more commonly associated with wills that manage the distribution of a person's assets after death, thus it does not align with the purpose of advance directives. This clarity highlights why the living will is the most recognized term for this type of directive within healthcare settings.