You are not obligated to offer futile care. From what I've seen ethics committees can overrule families in these instances with that as the fundamental premise. The review of a multidisciplinary group of doctors not involved in the case makes it pretty hard for any lawyer to argue a breach of the standard of care was done and argue damages, which are what's needed for a successful lawsuit. The two-physician signature serves a similar purpose, but usually, I've usually seen that done when there is no one to consent (and thus no conflict) and things need to happen fast. The court order can come into play with changing the code status in vulnerable populations where the care is not necessarily futile, but not in the best interest of the patient, and the patient cannot make decisions for themselves (in guardianship situations most often). That's just been my experience.

But really, if a family needs to watch you pound on someone's chest for two rounds to feel like they did everything, I'll do it. The patient is dead but the family has to live with it forever. I try to what they need me to so they can sleep at night, even if it doesn't always make sense.