lacounty.gov

Public Services

The Medical Examiner-Coroner Public Services Division’s mission is to provide responsive, efficient, and fiscally conscientious technical decedent processing services in a professional and caring manner to the affected family members, involved law enforcement, mortuaries, medical personnel, other county departments, and executive staff. Public Services, operating out of the famous front-facing historic building on Mission Road, handles sensitive functions related to the initial, midpoint, and close-out of Coroner cases.

The Public Services Division provides a number of services to families and the public divided into different sections to help facilitate your visit to our office. These services include Coroner case records management and release, safekeeping and release of decedent personal property, decedent billing, responding to law enforcement agency inquiries, managing civil and criminal subpoena requirements, and issuing death certificates to the mortuaries. Internal departmental support services include expeditious transcription of all dictated or handwritten autopsy reports, neuropathology reports, microscopic reports and offering clerical support to Deputy Medical Examiners.

Finally, as an ongoing responsibility and overall role, Public Services staff promote the functional role of the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner as a forensic science branch within the realm of public safety agencies that provides a crucial and necessary service to the Los Angeles County population. To read more about the specific sections of Public Services, click on each section below.

Law Enforcement Support

Since the Medical Examiner-Coroner is a public safety agency, law enforcement agencies rely on the Department for several medical, investigative, and administrative documents to solve cases, use records in court, or store records with their agency. The Law Enforcement Support desk provides proof of death letters, Coroner case status, autopsy reports and photos to law enforcement agencies who request them.

Medical Support and Medical Transcribing

The Medical Support staff of the Public Services Division provide administrative assistance to the Medical Examiner Forensic Medicine Division, including document processing and finalization of autopsy reports. The Medical Transcribing desk provides transcription services of all dictated or handwritten autopsy, neuropathology, and microscopic reports.

Personal Property

The receiving and handling of decedent personal property is one of the highest priorities of the Public Services Division. The division collects, inventories, safeguards and releases decedent personal property to the legal next of kin. Oftentimes, receiving the personal property of a decedent brings closure to the family and allows them to care for the decedent's valuables. Personal Property staff provide a high level of customer service to ensure families have as little stress as possible when visiting our facility.

Records

The Medical Examiner Records Section addresses requests from all over the world by agencies and families for Coroner case reports. Los Angeles County maintains records of several high profile celebrity deaths that may be referenced, even a decade after the fact. Older records are maintained on microfilm or microfiche and must be transferred on to paper in order to be released. Some of our older records date back to the 19th century and are handwritten in original medical books. Records are released in accordance with the California Public Records Act in a timely manner.

Subpoena Desk

Because the Department of Medical Examiner assists with law enforcement and court processes, staff throughout the Department rely on subpoena processing staff for central subpoena receiving and processing, collection of witness fees, and appointment scheduling support for Deputy Medical Examiners (DMEs).

Transportation and Storage

State of California Government Code Section 27471, 27472 and Los Angeles County Ordinance 2011-0009 provide authority for the Medical Examiner to establish a fee for the transportation and storage of decedents. The Public Services billing section processes and manages all decedent billing generated from transportation and storage services. Our billing staff understand the stress that families are under, and are readily available to answer questions and provide assistance. Our billing section staff can be reached Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at (323) 343-0572 or (323) 343-0613.

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.