Coroner Information
1. What is the cost of an autopsy?
2. What is the cost to transport a body?
3. Who is responsible to arrange for body transport?
4. What do I do with the body prior to transport?
5. What is ultimately done with the clothing and personal effects?
6. Are there any forms needed for an autopsy?
7. Why do all cases need the Request for Examination/Autopsy form?
8. Do infant deaths require additional paperwork?
9. Who designed the Infant Death Investigation Protocol?
10. What deaths are to be reported to the county coroner or forensic examiner?
12. Are your files confidential?
13. Who has access to an autopsy report?
14. How do I request a copy of the autopsy report?
What is the cost of an autopsy?
The cost of the
actual autopsy, toxicological analyses, and any ancillary studies necessary to
make an accurate determination of an individual's cause and manner of death are
borne by the state of North Dakota.
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What is the cost to transport a body?
The expenses incurred in the transportation of bodies to
the office in Bismarck are borne by the county making the referral.
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Who is responsible to arrange for body transport?
The county coroner with jurisdiction of the body is
responsible for arranging body transportation.
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What do I do with the body prior to transport?
The body should not be embalmed. Clothing, personal
effects, and any medical interventions should remain on the body. The body
must be in an intact body bag with proper identifying tags attached to the body
and body bag for admission to the morgue. The body should be refrigerated
prior to transport if possible. It is also important to remember any
safety equipment or items that aided in the death of the individual (like a
ligature or plastic bag), be left in place for examination by the medical
examiner.
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What is ultimately done with the clothing and personal effects?
The clothing and personal effects are removed and
inventoried at the time of autopsy. These items may be retained as
evidence by law enforcement. If no evidence is retained, the clothing and
personal effects are released with the body.
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Are there any forms needed for an autopsy?
Yes, for all autopsies a
Request for
Examination/Autopsy form is required.
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Why do all cases need the Request for Examination/Autopsy form?
It provides investigative information which may be used,
in addition to the autopsy, in determining the cause and manner of death.
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Do infant deaths require additional paperwork?
Yes, a completed
Sudden
Unexplained Infant Death Investigation Form should accompany or follow
infant death referrals. These may be sent by fax or mail.
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Who designed the Infant Death Investigation Protocol?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed the protocol to
provide the medical examiner/pathologist with a comprehensive understanding of
the child's medical history, environmental setting, and the circumstances of
his/her death.
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What deaths are to be reported to the county coroner or forensic examiner?
The coroner or any person acting as coroner
shall report to the State Forensic Examiner, in writing, every death where in
the coroner is notified or investigates. These reports may be sent by mail
or faxed a t the coroner's convenience. Reported deaths should use the
coroner's
investigation form.
Please see the web page Deaths to Report to Coroner.
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Please see the web page
Criteria for Medicolegal Autopsy.
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Yes, the county coroner files are considered confidential.
The only exception to this confidentiality is the Report of Death document.
This document is generated by the State Forensic Examiner and accompanies all
Autopsy Reports. This Report of Death is a public record subject to
disclosure under section 44-04-18 of the North Dakota Century Code.
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Who has access to an autopsy report?
Please see the web page
Disclosure of Autopsy Reports.
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How do I request a copy of the autopsy report?
You must meet a requirement from above, and the request
must be made in writing. The written request must include the decedent's
full name, date of birth, date of death, your name and relationship to the
decedent, and an address where the report needs to be sent.
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