lacounty.gov

FAQ's

DME Fact Sheet for Families

How can I obtain a death certificate?

Our Department does not maintain and/or distribute death certificates. The Department of Public Health is charged with this task for deaths that occurred up to 1 year from the date of death. Once a year has passed, they pass this duty on the to the Registrar Recorder. You may request the death certificates from the Funeral Home or from Public Health/Registrar Recorder directly. Please visit the following page for more information.

Request Death Certificate

What is an autopsy?

During autopsy a forensic pathologist examines the body. The pathologist looks for disease or injury. They take specimens of organs and body fluids for testing. The Department of Medical Examiner may retain tissues, organs or body fluids. Sometimes the pathologist keeps a whole organ such as the brain or heart for more testing. This testing occurs after the release of the body to the mortuary chosen by the next of kin.

The pathologist then prepares a written autopsy report. Please contact Medical Examiner Public Services at (323) 343-0695 to find out how to obtain a copy of the autopsy report.

Why does the Medical Examiner do autopsies?

The Medical Examiner's concern is to determine cause and manner of death. Determining the cause of death in a person may help identify family histories, contagious disease, and help prevent further premature or preventable deaths within the community. In criminal cases, autopsies help courts to reach a just verdict. Finally, autopsies help families understand how the death occurred and provide closure. This can be an important step in the grieving process.

What does the medical examiner report include?

A medical examiner report includes the autopsy report, the investigation report, and it may include any or all of the following reports: toxicology, criminalist, gunshot residue, and a variety of consultant reports.

How much does a copy of the medical examiner report cost?

The current price of a Medical Examiner’s case report is $60 per report. However, older, archived cases are $152 per report. If you are unable to locate your case on this website, please contact our Records section at (323) 343-0695.

Law enforcement reports and medical records are not provided by the Medical Examiner. They must be requested directly from those agencies.

Photographs are not provided in the medical examiner report. Only under a court order will the Medical Examiner release photographs to the legal next of kin.

What if I do not want an autopsy performed on my relative or friend?

Please let us know as soon as you can. We try to accommodate the family’s wishes when possible, however sometimes an autopsy is required. A legal certificate of religious belief must be filed prior to the autopsy. A court order can override this certificate. Religious belief exemptions cannot be made for children under 18.

People with a religious objection to an autopsy can prepare a Certificate of Religious Belief, California Government Code 27491.43 explains how.

What if I want an autopsy performed on my relative?

If your relative or friend is not a Medical Examiner case, a private autopsy can be done. However, the legal next of kin must issue a statement as to why they would like a private autopsy and will need to provide a signed death certificate, all medical records, and pay the fee for private autopsy. Exhumation costs are not included.

The Medical Examiner determines the level of examination needed for all medical examiner cases. Not all cases that fit medical examiner criteria require an autopsy. You may request that an autopsy be performed, but it will be the Medical Examiner's decision if one is clinically or legally necessary.

Please contact our office at (323) 343-0520 for additional information.

Can I have an open casket service after an autopsy?

It depends. Autopsies do not eliminate the possibility of open casket services. However, not all decedents are appropriate for viewing due to trauma or other circumstances.

When will I know the cause of death?

The pathologist can sometimes determine the cause of death right after examination. Other times, the pathologist needs to have more tests done. In that case, the County will issue a deferred death certificate. Due to the thoroughness and quality of our lab testing, and significant increase in drug deaths in Los Angeles County during the past couple years, toxicology testing can be a lengthy process. Currently, toxicology results can take between four to six months.

Once the additional testing is completed, the pathologist can amend the death certificate, if needed, with the final cause of death.

What should I do with my relative's or friend's prescriptions?

Take them to your local pharmacist for proper disposal.

How long does it take to get the toxicology results?

Due to the thoroughness and quality of our lab testing, and significant increase in drug deaths in Los Angeles County during the past couple years, toxicology testing can be a lengthy process. Currently, toxicology results take between two to three months.

Can I request additional testing?

See Additional Laboratory Requests.

Additional Lab Request

Glossary of Terms

Autopsy

also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy (particularly as to non-human bodies), autopsia cadaverum, or obduction — is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. It is usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist.

Biological specimens

blood, sections of organs, vitreous, bile, and urine.

Cause of death

an injury or disease that ultimately leads to death of the individual, generally determined by medical examiners or coroners.

Certificate of Religious Belief

in California, in order to execute a certificate of religious belief, a person must be 18 years of age or older and must state in clear and unambiguous language that any postmortem anatomical dissection or that specified procedures would violate the religious convictions of the person. The certificate must be signed and dated by the person in the presence of at least two witnesses. Each witness must also sign the certificate and must print on the certificate his or her name and residence address. California law allows the state to override religious objection if the coroner "has a reasonable suspicion that the death was caused by the criminal act of another or by a contagious disease constituting a public health hazard."

Chain of custody

a method of keeping track of who has handled a piece of evidence and when.

County Disposition

The County of Los Angeles will cremate the remains of a decedent and hold the cremains (ashes) for a period of time (about 3 years) before the ashes are interred in a common gravesite at the LA County Cemetery.

Decomposition

the disintegration of body tissues after death.

DME

Department of Medical Examiner

Evidence

any physical items such as bullets, hairs, fibers, biological fluids, etc., documents and statements that are included in a legal investigation for the jury’s or judge’s consideration in the determination of an individual’s guilt or innocence.

Forensic pathologist

A medical doctor who specializes in the sub-specialty of pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. The autopsy is performed by the pathologist usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some jurisdictions.

Forensic Science

Forensic Science is the application of all forms of science to aid legal investigations.

Indigency

The lack of ability to pay as a legal reason for having certain required fees waived; being declared eligible for free services.

Manner of death

is how the death came about. Natural - due entirely (or nearly so) to natural disease processes. Homicide - due to a volitional act of another person. Suicide - due to injury that occurred with the intent to induce self-harm or cause one’s own death. Accident - due to injury when there is no evidence of intent to harm. Undetermined - inadequate information regarding the circumstances of death to determine manner; example: individual found unconscious with massive subdural hemorrhage; in the absence of information on the events leading up to death, it is impossible to determine if the hemorrhage is due to accidental fall, homicidal violence, etc.

Medical examiner

is a medically qualified forensic pathologist and government official whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests.

Medicolegal Autopsy

a medicolegal autopsy is done with the possibility of litigation in mind. The autopsy is designed to determine the cause of death, properly document findings, and collect evidence. A primary objective is to try to reconstruct the circumstances and events that led to the death so that a mode (natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined) can be established. A medicolegal autopsy differs from a hospital autopsy. A hospital autopsy is designed to confirm a known or suspected disease and gain further knowledge of the disease. The emphasis is placed on the gross and microscopic examination of internal organs. In a medicolegal autopsy the emphasis is shifted to the external examination and the description of external and associated internal injuries. Microscopic examination is done only when indicated. Information about identification of the remains, time of death, evidence of drug use, age of injuries, etc., becomes important and must be recorded carefully. It is imperative that findings be recorded clearly and objectively. Any forensic pathologist should be able to interpret the findings years later without difficulty. The forensic autopsy protocol must be standardized and reproducible.

Next of Kin

aNearest relative: if married, the spouse, if no spouse then adult children, or surviving parents, or blood relative, according to California State Law, unless otherwise specified in a legal document.

Toxicology

or postmortem (after death) toxicology analyzes biological specimens collected at autopsy for the presence of drugs, toxins, and poisons to help determine cause and manner of death.