Are Autopsies Public Records? Vital Records Explained
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 3, 2026). · Law checked current as of August 9, 2026. · 59 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Autopsy reports are public records in many states, but access depends on state law. In states that classify them as medical records, only next of kin, family, legal representatives, and law enforcement may obtain copies. Reports that are public are often withheld until an active criminal investigation concludes.
In the US, whether an autopsy report is public depends on state law. Alabama, for example, treats autopsy reports as public records under state statute. Arkansas takes a different approach, treating autopsy reports more like confidential medical records than public documents such as arrest records.
See autopsy laws by state in the table below.
Quick take: Are autopsies public records?
- State law determines who has the authority to request autopsy reports.
- Autopsy reports are generally open to next of kin, family, insurance investigators, law enforcement, and prosecutors.
- You may have to file a public records request (often called a FOIA request) to access an autopsy report if you are unrelated to the deceased.
Are autopsy reports public records?
An autopsy, necropsy, or post mortem examination refers to a surgical procedure aimed at establishing the cause of death. Depending on state law, autopsy reports could be medical records. Why is that important?
Federal and state privacy laws do not allow anyone to view your medical records without your consent. Consequently, if autopsy reports are classified as medical records in your state, the documents are not open to the public the way arrest records typically are.
Massachusetts is the clearest example. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 38, Section 2 states that autopsy reports are not public records and directs the chief medical examiner to promulgate rules for their disclosure to those legally entitled to receive them. Those rules are 505 CMR 1.00, which lets the office release a report, at its discretion, to:
- The surviving spouse or next of kin, in that priority order, on a written request plus a sworn affidavit verifying the relationship (505 CMR 1.03).
- A party in a civil case, and only under a specific court order from the judge hearing the litigation (505 CMR 1.04).
- An investigatory body that shows the report is relevant, material, and necessary to a complete and proper investigation of the death (505 CMR 1.05).
- The Attorney General or the district attorney with jurisdiction over the death investigation, forthwith on request (505 CMR 1.06).
- A health care provider, for peer review of the medical care given to the decedent (505 CMR 1.07).
In an unnatural or suspicious death that a district attorney is directing under M.G.L. c. 38, § 4, the district attorney must first state in writing that there is no objection before the office may release the report to a spouse, next of kin, investigatory body, or health care provider.
State law generally lets the medical examiner or coroner charge a copying fee, so expect to pay for a report in most states. Several states or their county offices waive or routinely reduce the fee for immediate family. Mississippi and North Dakota provide for it by statute; in Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin it is the practice of the medical examiner offices, so ask when you request.
Who performs autopsies in the US?
The chief medical examiner is the person tasked with making autopsy reports in the majority of states. Therefore, the easiest way to find autopsy reports in your state is to visit the state's official chief medical examiner's website. If you are in New York City, for instance, you can visit the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
Find your state's chief medical examiner's website and contact information in the table below. Many states do not have a single statewide medical examiner and instead rely on county or district coroners; in those states, the table links to a representative county office as an example, so search for your specific county if it differs.
Who can access autopsy reports in the US?
As mentioned, state law determines who has the authority to view autopsy reports. But generally, the records are available to family members/next of kin, investigatory bodies, and parties involved in civil proceedings related to the deceased.
Where to download autopsy reports?
Note:
- Autopsy reports become public records after investigations are complete in some states.
- State law may limit the amount of information you may receive if you are not family or next of kin.
- Family, legal representatives, and insurers may access autopsy reports in states where the information is not public.
- In some states, you may need consent from the relatives of the deceased to view an autopsy report.
- A few states close reports for particular decedents even where adult reports stay open. Colorado made autopsy reports of deceased minors confidential for requests on or after January 1, 2025, and North Carolina made medical examiner records confidential for decedents under 18 effective October 1, 2025, releasable with the prior written consent of the child's parent or guardian.
| State | Autopsy report related statute | Public record status | Medical examiner / coroner office (request info) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Public record if there is no pending criminal investigation. Anyone may request a copy. | Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences | |
| Alaska | AS 12.65.020; AS 40.25.110-.125 | Public record. State statute does not directly address coroner/medical examiner reports specifically, so Alaska's general public records law controls. | Alaska State Medical Examiner's Office |
| Arizona | A.R.S. § 11-594 | Public record if there is no pending criminal investigation; may require court approval in some cases. | Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner (county level; Arizona has no single statewide medical examiner) |
| Arkansas | Ark. Code Ann. § 12-12-312 | Confidential while in the State Crime Laboratory's custody. Released only to the courts, prosecutors, and defense counsel, not the general public. | Arkansas State Crime Laboratory |
| California | Cal. Gov't Code § 27491.6 | Public record in most counties once there is no pending investigation. California has no single statewide medical examiner, so practice varies by county. | Santa Clara County Office of the Medical Examiner-Coroner |
| Colorado | § 24-72-204(3)(a)(I); C.R.S. § 30-10-606.7 (deceased minors) | Adults: public record once a suspect is arrested or the investigation ends. Minors: not a public record. For requests made on or after January 1, 2025, HB24-1244 made an autopsy report prepared in connection with a minor's death confidential. A general requester receives only the cause, time, place, and manner of death plus the minor's name, age, gender, and race or ethnicity, released on written request within three business days of the request or three business days after the coroner receives the information, whichever is later. Named recipients, including a parent or legal guardian, law enforcement, and child fatality prevention review teams, may receive the full report; the public may receive it if the minor died in the custody or under the supervision of the state or a local government; anyone else may petition a district court. Colorado has no statewide coroner; each county elects its own. | Denver Office of the Medical Examiner |
| Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-411 | Not a public record. Next of kin and family may request a copy. | Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner |
| Delaware | 16 Del. C. § 1210 | Not public. Requestors must provide proof of relationship and authorization; available to family and next of kin. | Delaware Division of Forensic Science |
| District of Columbia | D.C. Code Ann. § 5-1412(c) | Requestors must show a legitimate interest. Available to next of kin and family. | DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner |
| Florida | 119.011(1), Fla. Stat. | Public record if there is no pending criminal investigation. Florida uses district medical examiners rather than one statewide office. | Pinellas County (District Six) Medical Examiner |
| Georgia | (d), (e) | Autopsy photographs are not public record; written permission from next of kin (or a purchased release) is required to access them. Video is not addressed by that subsection; only crime scene video/photos depicting dismemberment, decapitation, or similar mutilation are separately restricted, under (e), which requires a superior court order in closed investigations and two weeks' notice to next of kin. | Georgia Bureau of Investigation Division of Forensic Sciences |
| Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 92F (Uniform Information Practices Act) | No Hawaii statute makes autopsy reports categorically public or categorically confidential, so the UIPA's general rule and its exceptions control. The Office of Information Practices held in Opinion Letter 91-32 that a report tied to a pending or prospective law enforcement investigation may be withheld, and that it should be open to inspection and copying once the investigation and any prosecution conclude. Opinion Letter 03-19 later held that a deceased person retains a privacy interest that diminishes with the passage of time, weighed against the public interest in disclosure under HRS § 92F-14. Expect a case-by-case answer, and ask the county medical examiner or coroner. | Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner |
| Idaho | Idaho Code § 74-102 (Idaho Public Records Act) | Public record. | Ada County Coroner's Office |
| Illinois | 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(d)(i) | Not a public record while a criminal investigation is pending. | Cook County Medical Examiner's Office |
| Indiana | I.C. § 5-14-3-3 (Access to Public Records Act); I.C. § 36-2-14-18(c) | Public record. A written request is required. | Indiana coroner public-records FAQ |
| Iowa | Iowa Code § 691.6; Iowa Code § 331.802 | Cause of death is a public record. Remaining information, including photos and video, is treated as a medical record. | Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner |
| Kansas | K.S.A. 22a-232; Kan. Att'y Gen. Op. 1986-5; Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) | Public record once completed, unless the coroner designates the report a criminal investigation record filed with the district court clerk. | Kansas Attorney General, Kansas Open Records Act FAQ |
| Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 61.878(1)(h), Open Records Act | Not public under the law-enforcement exemption; becomes a public record once the investigation closes. Cause and manner of death are always public. | Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner |
| Louisiana | La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 44:19; § 13:5713 | Mixed. The coroner's basic report (cause and manner of death) and a forensic autopsy tied to a criminal investigation are public. The internal death investigation report, autopsy photos and video, and the decedent's personal medical history are confidential. | a Louisiana parish coroner's autopsy report process (Louisiana has no statewide medical examiner; each parish has its own coroner) |
| Maine | 22 M.R.S.A. § 3022(8) | Not a public record. Next of kin are the exception. | Maine's autopsy report FAQ |
| Maryland | Md. Code, General Provisions § 4-329 | Public record unless the case is under investigation. | requesting a Maryland autopsy report |
| Massachusetts | M.G.L. c. 38, § 2; 505 CMR 1.00 | Not a public record; the statute says so expressly. Released at the office's discretion to a spouse or next of kin (505 CMR 1.03), a civil litigant under a court order (1.04), an investigatory body (1.05), the Attorney General or district attorney (1.06), and a health care provider for peer review (1.07). | Massachusetts autopsy report request process |
| Michigan | - | Open to family and next of kin. You may need to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request if you are not related to the deceased. | Oakland County, Michigan autopsy report request |
| Minnesota | (Data Practices Act, medical examiner data) | Not a public record. The enumerated basic facts in , subd. 2 (name, date of birth, date of death, cause of death, and similar) are public at every stage. The investigative data and the final summary are confidential or protected nonpublic while the investigation is active (subd. 4), and become private or nonpublic once the final summary of findings is complete, so next of kin may obtain the report but the general public may not. Data stay confidential or protected nonpublic past that point where the manner of death is homicide, undetermined, or pending and a law enforcement investigation is active. Nonpublic data become public 30 years after the date of death (subd. 9). | Minnesota coroner and medical examiner directory |
| Mississippi | Miss. Code Ann. § 41-61-65; § 41-61-66 ("Christian's Law") | Released to the district attorney, law enforcement, the court clerk, and one adult immediate family member or legal representative at no charge. Others may obtain a copy for a fee. Photos, video, and audio from the autopsy are confidential under Christian's Law. | Mississippi State Medical Examiner report request |
| Missouri | Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 58.720-.740; Missouri Sunshine Law, Ch. 610 RSMo | Public record under Missouri's Sunshine Law. Active-investigation records are exempt. No fee for family. | a Missouri county medical examiner's autopsy report policy |
| Montana | Mont. Code Ann. Title 46, ch. 4, pt. 1, esp. § 46-4-123 | Investigative material is confidential only until the case closes or charges are filed. | Montana Medical Examiner Office (DOJ) |
| Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-712 to 84-712.09 | No statewide statute directly addresses autopsy report access. County attorneys serve as coroner, and general public-records law applies. | a Nebraska county coroner's office |
| Nevada | Nevada Public Records Act | Public record; sensitive information may be redacted. Nevada has no statewide medical examiner. | a Nevada county coroner's autopsy report request |
| New Hampshire | RSA 611-B:21 | Confidential medical record. Releasable to next of kin, law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies, the treating physician, and medical or research organizations; otherwise not released without next-of-kin authorization. | New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner |
| New Jersey | N.J.S.A. 52:17B-88; 52:17B-92; N.J.A.C. 8:2A-1.2 | Generally a public record once the case is closed, under Government Records Council precedent. Autopsy photos and video remain exempt. Next of kin are entitled to a copy within 90 days by statute. | New Jersey Office of the State Medical Examiner |
| New Mexico | NMSA 1978 § 24-14-28(A) | Public record, available to anyone demonstrating a tangible and direct interest. | New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator |
| New York | - | Available to next of kin and the district attorney. New York City's Office of Chief Medical Examiner is separate from the rest of the state, which relies on county coroners or medical examiners. | New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner |
| North Carolina | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1.8; § 130A-389.1; § 130A-385(d1), (d3), as rewritten by S.L. 2025-70 (S.B. 429), eff. Oct. 1, 2025 (decedents under 18) | The text of an official autopsy report is a public record and fully accessible by the public, unless it is protected from release as a criminal investigation record under § 130A-385(d1) or as the record of a decedent under 18 under § 130A-385(d3). Photos and video are restricted to in-person inspection. For a child who was under 18 at the time of death, medical examiner records are confidential and may be disclosed or released only with the prior written consent of the deceased child's parent or guardian, apart from narrow statutory exceptions such as release to the estate's personal representative or a benefit claim beneficiary. | North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner |
| North Dakota | N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18; § 23-01-05.5 | The coroner's file is confidential, but the Report of Death is public. Findings are provided free to a personal representative, spouse, child, or parent; homicide cases require written approval from the state's attorney. | ND State Forensic Examiner records request |
| Ohio | Ohio Rev. Code § 313.10 | Public record after the investigation is complete. Preliminary autopsy and investigative notes are exempt, as are records tied to an open homicide investigation. | Franklin County Coroner's Office report request |
| Oklahoma | 63 O.S. § 945(D)-(E) | The summary report is public immediately. The full report is withheld for 10 business days, then becomes public unless flagged by the district attorney or law enforcement for an active criminal investigation. | Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner |
| Oregon | ORS 192.345 (conditional exemption); ORS 146.035(5) (family access exception) | Conditionally exempt from public disclosure, but a parent, spouse, sibling, child, or personal representative of the deceased, or anyone who may be criminally or civilly liable for the death, may examine and obtain a copy. | Oregon State Police Medical Examiner records request |
| Pennsylvania | 65 P.S. § 67.708(b)(20), Right-to-Know Law; 16 P.S. § 1236.1(c), Coroner's Act | Name, age, date of death, and cause and manner of death are public immediately. The full autopsy and toxicology report is exempt under the Right-to-Know Law, though it becomes publicly available once filed with the county prothonotary at year's end in smaller counties, or obtainable for a fee from the coroner before then. Pennsylvania has no statewide medical examiner. | PA Office of Open Records, Right-to-Know Law guidance |
| Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-4-3(6); ch. 23-4 | The cause-of-death determination is public. The full autopsy report is generally released only to next of kin for a fee; a person charged in connection with the death may also request a copy from the Attorney General. | RI Office of State Medical Examiners |
| South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-20(c); § 17-5-535; Perry v. Bullock, 409 S.C. 137 (2014) | Not a public record. The South Carolina Supreme Court has held autopsy reports are exempt "medical records" under the state's FOIA. Access is limited to next of kin, involved law enforcement or legal parties, or a court order. | South Carolina Code, Coroners and Medical Examiners |
| South Dakota | SDCL § 1-27-1.5(5); § 1-27-1.9; § 23-5-11 | Not a public record. Autopsy reports are exempt from South Dakota's open records law, whether from the coroner's own investigation or one referred to law enforcement. | SD Attorney General public records guidance |
| Tennessee | Tenn. Code Ann. § 38-7-110 | Public by default. A court may seal portions on the district attorney's petition if release would impede a homicide or felony investigation. Autopsy audio and video are separately restricted. | Tennessee Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner |
| Texas | Tex. Gov't Code ch. 552 (Public Information Act); Tex. Att'y Gen. Op. JC-0422 (2001, narrow, covers provisional inquest reports) | Public record. Anyone may request a copy, subject to exceptions for an active criminal investigation. Autopsy photos and x-rays are withheld. | Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences autopsy report request |
| Utah | Utah Code § 26B-8-217 (formerly § 26-4-17) | Confidential by law. Released only to next of kin, a legal representative, a medical provider, or law enforcement, via a written Records Request Form. | Utah Office of the Medical Examiner |
| Vermont | 18 V.S.A. § 5205; 1 V.S.A. § 317 | Not released to the public. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner releases the Final Report of Autopsy to legal next of kin who complete a Statement of Next of Kin form, in this order: the parents or legal guardians of an unemancipated minor, the spouse or civil union partner, the children or their legal custodian, the parents, the siblings, the grandparents, then other relatives by degrees of separation. Section 5205(g) expressly makes reports disclosed to the Department of Corrections confidential and not public records under 1 V.S.A. § 317. | Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner records and reports |
| Virginia | Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-283(C) | Treated as a protected medical record, not a public record. Access is limited to legal next of kin in priority order (spouse, adult child, parent, adult sibling, other relatives); third parties need a written release. | Virginia OCME FAQs for families |
| Washington | Confidential. Family uses a Family Request Authorization Form; third parties such as insurers or attorneys need family or personal-representative authorization (a general medical-records release is not enough). | Snohomish County Medical Examiner records request | |
| West Virginia | W. Va. Code § 61-12-10 | Not released to the general public. § 61-12-10 authorizes release only to specific parties: prosecuting attorneys and law-enforcement officers; courts of law and parties to litigation where the cause of death is a material issue; the multidisciplinary child-fatality-review team; a requesting hospital; and the decedent's attending physician. The statute does not include a next-of-kin release mechanism or a subpoena exemption. | WV Office of the Chief Medical Examiner document request |
| Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. ch. 979, esp. §§ 979.01, 979.04; §§ 19.31-19.39 | Cause of death is public. The full report is available to the nearest next of kin at no cost once the case closes. | Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office |
| Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. § 16-4-203 | The coroner's verdict and docket are public by default. Medical, psychological, and sociological data in the full report are exempt; you may petition the court for good cause to obtain them. | Teton County Wyoming Coroner's Office |
Other Vital Records Laws
Updates
Corrected the Georgia row: autopsy photographs (not video generally) require next-of-kin permission under O.C.G.A. 45-16-27(d); only crime-scene video/photos of dismemberment/decapitation/mutilation are separately restricted under (e). Corrected the West Virginia row: W. Va. Code 61-12-10 does not create a next-of-kin release, photo-ID, or subpoena-immunity rule; it lists a different, specific set of authorized recipients (prosecutors/law enforcement, courts, the multidisciplinary team, hospitals, and attending physicians).
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Corrected the Minnesota row, which had the rule backwards: it said autopsy data are public while a case is open and close afterward, when Minn. Stat. § 13.83 makes the investigative file confidential during the investigation and private or nonpublic afterward, with a fixed list of basic facts public at every stage. Corrected the Hawaii row, which cited a statute about who may perform an autopsy rather than one about records access, and rewrote it around Hawaii's public records law and the Office of Information Practices opinions that actually govern. Added Colorado's minor-decedent rule (C.R.S. § 30-10-606.7, effective January 1, 2025) and North Carolina's new rule for decedents under 18 (S.L. 2025-70, effective October 1, 2025), both of which now name the parent or guardian consent path that reopens the record. Rebuilt the Massachusetts disclosure list from the governing regulation 505 CMR 1.00, tightened Vermont's next-of-kin order, clarified which states actually waive the copying fee for family, and refreshed the Franklin County, Ohio link.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
Fixed 56 broken links left over from the original WordPress migration, where markdown link text had been stripped and replaced with bare URLs mid-sentence. Restored proper linked citations throughout, including the two internal cross-links in the intro and the Massachusetts, New York, and state medical examiner links. Corrected an inaccurate public-record status for Arkansas and outdated or wrong statute citations for Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia. Consolidated duplicate New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New Mexico table rows into one row each, and added the previously missing Rhode Island, South Carolina, and South Dakota rows. Replaced several dead or outdated agency links across the 50-state table with current, verified official sources.
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Code of Alabama 1975, Title 36: Public Officers and Employees.
§ 36-18-2Duties Generally; Maintenance, Inspection, and Copying of Reports of Investigations of Director of Forensic Sciences; Police Authority of Director of Forensic Sciences and Assistants.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
The duties of the director shall be to make such investigations, including any necessary autopsy, to be performed by physicians licensed to practice medicine in Alabama and recognized and trained in forensic medicine and pathology; provided, however, that the director may waive this requirement temporarily whenever a medical examiner vacancy exists which he is seeking to fill. Said investigations of unlawful, suspicious or unnatural deaths and crimes as are ordered by the Governor, the Attorney General, any circuit judge, or any district attorney in the State of Alabama, and the director and his staff shall cooperate with the coroners, sheriffs and other police officers in Alabama in their investigations of crimes and deaths from unlawful, suspicious or unnatural causes. The director shall within his discretion visit the scene of any crime in the state for the purpose of securing evidence for the state. The director shall furnish a certified copy of his report of any investigation that the department conducts to the person or persons who ordered the investigation conducted.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at alison.legislature.state.al.us
Cited in 3 court opinionsMost recently applied by a court: 2024
Leading cases:
- Arthur v. Allen (District Court, S.D. Alabama 2008, 574 F. Supp. 2d 1252)“…at defendants’ contemplated autopsy on his body pursuant to Ala.Code § 36-18-2 violates his First Amendment right to f…”
- Foster v. Duerr (INMATE 1) (District Court, M.D. Alabama 2024)“…er the ballistics report becomes public record pursuant to Ala. Code § 36-18-2 is misplaced. The Court notes that t…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Are Autopsy Reports Public in Alabama? (2026 Guide)
Official Code of Georgia Annotated
§ 45-16-27When inquest to be held; special situations; coroner's fee; issuance of subpoenas; cost of copying; limited disclosure of photographs.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(a) Coroners shall require an inquest to be conducted in their respective counties as follows: (1) When any individual dies under any circumstances specified in paragraphs (1) through (11) of subsection (a) of Code Section 45-16-24; provided, however, that an inquest shall not be required to b
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-04 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.ga.gov
Cited in 4 court opinionsMost recently applied by a court: 2025
Leading cases:
- Wallace v. State (Supreme Court of Georgia 2025, 321 Ga. 505)“…losure in the superior court where he was convicted. OCGA § 45-16-27 (d) excludes autopsy photographs from…”
- Georgia Lions Eye Bank, Inc. v. Lavant (Supreme Court of Georgia 1985, 255 Ga. 60)“…stices concur, except Marshall, P. J., who dissents. OCGA § 45-16-27 (a) (1) provides, in part, that coroner…”
- Fortner v. State (Court of Appeals of Georgia 2019, 350 Ga. App. 226)“…o commit a felony, but was acquitted of those counts. OCGA § 45-16-27 (b) provides: "On and after January 1,…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Georgia Supreme Court Holds Autopsy Photographs Are Confidential Under the Open Records Act
Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13: GOVERNMENT DATA PRACTICES
§ 13.83MEDICAL EXAMINER DATAIn forcecited in 3 of our articles
Subdivision 1. Definition. As used in this section, "medical examiner data" means data relating to deceased individuals and the manner and circumstances of their death which is created, collected, used or maintained by a county coroner or medical examiner in the fulfillment of official duties pursuant to chapter 390, or any other general or local law on county coroners or medical examiners. Subd. 2. Public data. Unless specifically classified otherwise by state statute or federal law, the following data created or collected by a medical examiner or coroner on a deceased individual are public: name of the deceased; date of birth; date of death; address; sex; race; citizenship; height; weight; hair color; eye color; build; complexion; age, if known, or approximate age; identifying marks, scars and amputations; a description of the decedent's clothing; marital status; location of death including name of hospital where applicable; name of spouse; whether or not the decedent ever served in the armed forces of the United States; occupation; business; father's name (also birth name, if different); mother's name (also birth name, if different); birthplace; birthplace of parents; cause of…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at revisor.mn.gov
Also relied on in: Are Autopsy Reports Public in Minnesota? (2026 Guide), How to Find a Cause of Death in Minnesota (2026)
New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, Chapter 24
§ 24-14-28Copies or data from the system of vital statisticsIn force
A. In accordance with the Vital Statistics Act and the regulations adopted pursuant to that act: (1) the state registrar shall, upon receipt of a written application, issue a certified copy of any certificate or record in the state registrar's custody to anyone demonstrating a tangible and direct interest, except that: (a) certified copies of birth records shall exclude all medical information unless a complete certificate is specifically requested and the request for a complete certificate is approved by the state registrar; and (b) issuance of copies of birth records shall be subject to the provisions of the Missing Child Reporting Act [repealed]; (2) a certified copy of a certificate or any part thereof, including records reproduced from paper documents or photographic, magnetic or electronic files, shall be considered for all purposes the same as the original and is prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated; provided that the evidentiary value of a certificate or record filed more than one year after the event or a record that has been amended shall be determined by the judicial or administrative body or official before whom the certificate is offered as…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nmonesource.com
Tennessee Code Annotated
§ 38-7-110Records received as evidence — Person preparing report may be subpoenaed as witness — Reports as public documents — Release of reports.In forcecited in 3 of our articles
(a) The records of the division of post mortem examination, the county medical examiner, or transcripts of the records certified to by the chief medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner or the duly appointed representative of the chief medical examiner, and the reports of the toxicology…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2021-05-21 · Read the full text in our law library
Cited in 6 court opinionsMost recently applied by a court: 2018
Leading cases:
- State v. Mario Hawkins (Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee 2010)“…ds and reports, Tenn. R. Evid. 803(8); or as authorized by Tenn. Code Ann. 38-7-110 (1994 Supp).6 He contends that, since…”
- State of Tennessee v. Thomas Lee Hutchison (Tennessee Supreme Court 2016, 482 S.W.3d 893)“…the facts and matters contained in the records or reports.‖ Tenn. Code Ann. § 38-7-110(a) (2014). At least one sister state wi…”
- Zimmermann v. Board of Professional Responsibility (Tennessee Supreme Court 1989, 764 S.W.2d 757)“…of Sheffield. The *765 autopsy report is a public record, T.C.A. § 38-7-110(c), and therefore, an attorney may stat…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Are Autopsy Reports Public in Tennessee? (2026), How to Find a Cause of Death in Tennessee (2026)
Code of Virginia, Title 32.1: Health
§ 32.1-283Investigation of deaths; obtaining consent to removal of organs, etc.; feesIn forcecited in 3 of our articles
A. Upon the death of any person from trauma, injury, violence, poisoning, accident, suicide, or homicide, or suddenly when in apparent good health, or when unattended by a physician, or in jail, prison, or other correctional institution, or in police custody, or who was at the time of his death, or immediately prior to admission to another hospital, an individual receiving services in a state hospital or training center operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services whether the death of such individual was expected or unexpected, or suddenly as an apparent result of fire, or in any suspicious, unusual, or unnatural manner, or the sudden death of any infant, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shall be notified by the physician in attendance, hospital, law-enforcement officer, funeral director, or any other person having knowledge of such death. Good faith efforts shall be made by any person or institution having initial custody of the dead body to identify and to notify the next of kin of the decedent.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov
Cited in 1 court opinionsMost recently applied by a court: 2025
Leading cases:
- Kathy Paton v. City of Norfolk, Virginia (Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 2025)“…humous right of next of kin through legislation in Va. Code § 32.1-283(c). There are at least…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Are Autopsy Reports Public in Virginia? (2026), How to Find Someone's Cause of Death in Virginia (2026)
Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 18: Health, Chapter 107: Deaths, Burials, and Autopsies, Subchapter: GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
§ 5205Death certificate when no attending physician and in other circumstances; autopsyIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
(a) When a person dies from violence, or suddenly when in apparent good health or when unattended by a physician or a recognized practitioner of a well-established church, or by casualty, or by suicide or as a result of injury or when in jail or prison, or any psychiatric hospital, or in any unusual, unnatural, or suspicious manner, or in circumstances involving a hazard to public health, welfare, or safety, the head of the household, the jailer, or the superintendent of a psychiatric hospital where such death occurred, or the next of kin, or the person discovering the body or any doctor notified of the death, shall immediately notify the medical examiner who resides nearest the town where the death occurred and immediately upon being notified, such medical examiner shall notify the State’s Attorney of the county in which the death occurred. The State’s Attorney shall thereafter be in charge of the body and shall issue such instructions covering the care or removal of the body as he or she shall deem appropriate until he or she releases same.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-01 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.vermont.gov
Cited in 3 court opinionsMost recently applied by a court: 1992
Leading cases:
- State v. Chambers (Supreme Court of Vermont 1984, 144 Vt. 234)“…of death and therefore refused to sign a death certificate. 18 V.S.A. § 5205(c). Instead, the examiner informed the…”
- Jobin v. McQuillen (Supreme Court of Vermont 1992, 158 Vt. 322)“…Quillen performed an autopsy the following day, pursuant to 18 V.S.A. § 5205(f). During the autopsy, she removed the…”
- Quesnel v. Raleigh (Supreme Court of Vermont 1969, 128 Vt. 95)“…of an examination and autopsy performed under authority of 18 V.S.A. § 5205. Such investigation has legal sanction…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Are Autopsy Reports Public in Vermont? (2026)
Revised Code of Washington
§ 68.50.105Autopsies, postmortems—Reports and records confidential—Exceptions. (Effective until June 30, 2027.)In forcecited in 3 of our articles
(1) Reports and records of autopsies or postmortems shall be confidential, except that the following persons may examine and obtain copies of any such report or record: The personal representative of the decedent as defined in RCW 11.02.005, any family member, the attending physician or *advanced registered nurse practitioner, the prosecuting attorney or law enforcement agencies having jurisdiction, public health officials, the department of labor and industries in cases in which it has an interest under RCW 68.50.103, the secretary of the department of children, youth, and families or his or her designee in cases being reviewed under RCW 74.13.640, or the secretary of the department of social and health services or his or her designee under chapter 74.34 RCW.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov
Cited in 16 court opinionsMost recently applied by a court: 2019
Leading cases:
- Reid v. Pierce County (Washington Supreme Court 1998, 136 Wash. 2d 195)“…he public gaze.” Furthermore, our holding is supported by RCW 68.50.105, which declares a public policy that au…”
- Zueger v. Public Hospital District No. 2 (Court of Appeals of Washington 1990, 57 Wash. App. 584)“…he autopsy. Appellant argues that the legislative policy of RCW 68.50.105, regarding the confidentiality of autop…”
- Thompson v. Wilson (Court of Appeals of Washington 2008, 142 Wash. App. 803)“…ent Thompson sought to compel the coroner’s compliance with RCW 68.50.105, the trial court erred in granting summ…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Are Autopsy Reports Public in Washington? (2026), How to Find a Cause of Death in Washington (2026)
West Virginia Code
§ 61-12-10When autopsies made and by whom performed; records of date investigated; copies of records and information; reporting requirements.In forcecited in 5 of our articles
(a) If in the opinion of the chief medical examiner, or of the county medical examiner of the county in which the death in question occurred, it is advisable and in the public interest that an autopsy be made, or if an autopsy is requested by either the prosecuting attorney or the judge of the circuit court or other court of record having criminal jurisdiction in that county, an autopsy shall be conducted by the chief medical examiner or his or her designee, by a member of his or her staff, or by a competent pathologist designated and employed by the chief medical examiner under the provisions of this article. When requested by either the prosecuting attorney or judge of the circuit court or other court of record having criminal jurisdiction in that county, the autopsy shall be conducted within 72 hours of the time the decedent was received by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at code.wvlegislature.gov
Cited in 1 court opinionsMost recently applied by a court: 2018
Leading cases:
- Larry Hayes v. Marvin Plumley (Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 2018)“…7 forensic pathology.” Id. (quoting W. Va. Code § 61-12-10(a) (2010)). 1 Focusing on the second p…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Are Autopsy Reports Public in West Virginia? (2026), How to Find a Cause of Death in West Virginia (2026)
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Sources and References
- Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 38, Section 2(malegislature.gov).gov
- 505 CMR 1.00, Disclosure of Autopsy Reports (Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner)(mass.gov).gov
- NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner(nyc.gov).gov
- Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences(adfs.alabama.gov).gov
- Alaska State Medical Examiner's Office(health.alaska.gov).gov
- Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner(maricopa.gov).gov
- Arkansas State Crime Laboratory(dps.arkansas.gov).gov
- Santa Clara County Office of the Medical Examiner-Coroner(mec.santaclaracounty.gov).gov
- Denver Office of the Medical Examiner(denvergov.org).gov
- Colorado HB24-1244, Minor Autopsy Report Release Requirements (effective January 1, 2025)(leg.colorado.gov).gov
- El Paso County (CO) Coroner, autopsy report request and C.R.S. § 30-10-606.7(coroner.elpasoco.com).gov
- Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner(portal.ct.gov).gov
- Delaware Division of Forensic Science(forensics.delaware.gov).gov
- DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner(ocme.dc.gov).gov
- Pinellas County (District Six) Medical Examiner(forensics.pinellas.gov).gov
- Georgia Bureau of Investigation Division of Forensic Sciences(dofs-gbi.georgia.gov).gov
- Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner(honolulu.gov).gov
- Hawaii Office of Information Practices, Uniform Information Practices Act (HRS ch. 92F)(ags.hawaii.gov).gov
- Hawaii OIP Opinion Letter No. 91-32, autopsy reports and pending law enforcement investigations(ags.hawaii.gov).gov
- Hawaii OIP Opinion Letter No. 03-19, privacy interests of deceased individuals(ags.hawaii.gov).gov
- Ada County Coroner's Office(adacounty.id.gov).gov
- Cook County Medical Examiner's Office(cookcountyil.gov).gov
- Indiana coroner public-records FAQ(faqs.in.gov).gov
- Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner(iosme.iowa.gov).gov
- Kansas Attorney General, Kansas Open Records Act FAQ(ag.ks.gov).gov
- Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner(justice.ky.gov).gov
- a Louisiana parish coroner's autopsy report process(caddocoroner.com)
- Maine's autopsy report FAQ(maine.gov).gov
- requesting a Maryland autopsy report(health.maryland.gov).gov
- Massachusetts autopsy report request process(mass.gov).gov
- Oakland County, Michigan autopsy report request(oakgov.com)
- Minnesota coroner and medical examiner directory(health.state.mn.us).gov
- Minn. Stat. § 13.83, medical examiner data under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act(revisor.mn.gov).gov
- Mississippi State Medical Examiner report request(dps.ms.gov).gov
- a Missouri county medical examiner's autopsy report policy(greenecountymo.gov).gov
- Montana Medical Examiner Office (DOJ)(dojmt.gov).gov
- a Nebraska county coroner's office(countyattorney.douglascounty-ne.gov).gov
- a Nevada county coroner's autopsy report request(washoecounty.gov).gov
- New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner(doj.nh.gov).gov
- New Jersey Office of the State Medical Examiner(nj.gov).gov
- New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator(hsc.unm.edu)
- New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner(www1.nyc.gov).gov
- North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner(dph.ncdhhs.gov).gov
- North Carolina Session Law 2025-70 (Senate Bill 429), effective October 1, 2025(ncleg.gov).gov
- ND State Forensic Examiner records request(hhs.nd.gov).gov
- Franklin County Coroner's Office report request(franklincountyohio.gov).gov
- Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner(oklahoma.gov).gov
- Oregon State Police Medical Examiner records request(oregon.gov).gov
- PA Office of Open Records, Right-to-Know Law guidance(openrecords.pa.gov).gov
- RI Office of State Medical Examiners(health.ri.gov).gov
- South Carolina Code, Coroners and Medical Examiners(scstatehouse.gov).gov
- SD Attorney General public records guidance(atg.sd.gov).gov
- Tennessee Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner(tn.gov).gov
- Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences autopsy report request(ifs.harriscountytx.gov).gov
- Utah Office of the Medical Examiner(ome.utah.gov).gov
- Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner records and reports(healthvermont.gov).gov
- 18 V.S.A. § 5205, Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner(legislature.vermont.gov).gov
- Virginia OCME FAQs for families(vdh.virginia.gov).gov
- Snohomish County Medical Examiner records request(snohomishcountywa.gov).gov
- WV Office of the Chief Medical Examiner document request(dhhr.wv.gov).gov
- Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office(county.milwaukee.gov).gov
- Teton County Wyoming Coroner's Office(tetoncountywy.gov).gov