Consents in the legal arena are used in a variety of contexts. In the broadest sense, consents are signed documents indicating an official approval of an action or proposed action. For example, some states require a minor to get parental consent before undergoing an abortion.
Another common consent is regulated by state informed health care consent laws, which vary by state. These laws define who will make health care decisions for you, if you are unable to make them for yourself. This law authorizes certain persons to provide consent for minors or persons who are incapacitated and, therefore, unable to make or communicate their own medical decisions. The law establishes a priority list of persons who are authorized to provide informed consent to health care on behalf of a minor or an incapacitated person. If you are an adult, the law usually requires that a doctor determine that you are an incapacitated person before anyone is authorized to consent on your behalf.
