FAQS for Families
What is a medical examiner?
A medical examiner is a physician who is trained in forensic pathology, the branch of medicine that is involved with the investigation of potentially violent, suspicious or unnatural deaths. A board certified forensic pathologist has completed a training program in forensic pathology approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and has successfully passed a written and practical examination administered by the American Board of Pathology.
The role of the medical examiner is to determine objectively the cause and manner of death in such cases, often in collaboration with law enforcement and other investigative agencies. The types of deaths that fall under Medical Examiner jurisdiction are specified by Florida Statute 406.11. A medical examiner has no jurisdiction over deaths other than those specified by the statute.
In the state of Florida, each District Medical Examiner is appointed by the Governor. He or she then appoints Associate Medical Examiners. The medical examiners are assisted by trained medicolegal death investigators.
What is a coroner?
There is another type of governmental systems for the investigation of unnatural deaths in some parts of the United States. Under a coroner’s system, the official in charge is chosen by popular election. Some states require that a coroner be a licensed physician, while other states require no specialized training. Many modern coroners are funeral directors.
There are no coroners in the state of Florida, which has a statewide medical examiner system.
What is a medicolegal death investigator?
Many medical examiners’ offices employ specially trained medicolegal death investigators who assist in screening the cases reported to the office and in scene investigations. An investigator from the Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office typically responds to a death scene before the body is removed from the scene.
The American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) registers death investigators based on training, experience and written examinations. The medicolegal death investigators employed by the Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner's Office are required to pass the ABMDI registry examination.
Are medical examiners’ offices accredited?
The National Association of Medical Examiners (N.A.M.E.) administers a voluntary program for the inspection and accreditation of medical examiners’ offices. N.A.M.E.’s standards are meant to represent the minimum standards for an adequate medicolegal death investigation system and emphasize the policies and procedures of the office.
The Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office has been accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners since July 14, 2009.
When is an investigation by the Medical Examiner’s Office necessary?
In the case of an unexpected or possibly unnatural death, an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death by the Medical Examiner’s Office is legally required to determine the cause and manner of death and to establish the identity of the deceased before a medical examiner can sign the death certificate.
The medical examiner can often discover hidden evidence of injury to explain a sudden death or can document natural diseases to show that no foul play was involved in the death.
Governmental and private agencies, such insurance companies, as well as family members, rely on the findings of the medical examiner to resolve questioned issues regarding deaths.
How is geographic jurisdiction over a body determined?
The state of Florida is divided into 24 medical examiner districts. The place where a person dies or where the deceased’s body is found or is brought ashore from water determines the geographic jurisdiction.
The Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office serves only Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Seminole, and Sumter Counties.
What is an autopsy?
An autopsy is an intricate medical procedure in which a body is examined after death. The procedure often includes the performance of laboratory tests, such as toxicology studies. The actual postmortem examination includes the removal and inspection of all major organ systems for the purpose of documenting injury and/or disease or the lack thereof. An autopsy typically does not interfere with the final viewing and funeral of the deceased. Funeral directors prepare a body after autopsy according to the wishes of the family.
When is an autopsy necessary?
A complete autopsy is most often performed in traumatic or violent deaths (gunshot, stabbing, electrocution, burn, poison, fall, drowning, starvation, suffocation, strangulation, etc.), any police custody death, suspected suicide or drug overdose and in most cases of child death. Investigation or autopsy is necessary in all traumatic deaths regardless of the duration of survival or hospitalization of the injured person if no complete recovery was made after the injury.
An autopsy is not normally performed when the death appears to be from natural causes, adequate medical history exists, and there are no indications of foul play. The medical examiner often receives such cases only because the attending physician is not in Florida and therefore cannot sign a Florida death certificate, or because the person has never been to a physician.
Is there a fee for an autopsy?
There is no fee for an autopsy performed by the Medical Examiner’s Office. If a family desires to have an autopsy performed on the body of an individual whose death does not fall under Medical Examiner jurisdiction, the family may hire a private pathologist to perform the autopsy for a fee determined by that pathologist.
Is permission from the next-of-kin required before an autopsy can be performed?
Under Florida state law, a medical examiner is not required to receive permission from the next-of-kin to perform an autopsy in cases in which the death falls under Medical Examiner jurisdiction. Family objections to an autopsy, including religious objections, are handled on a case by case basis so that the statutory duties of the medical examiner, as well as the rights of the deceased and the interests of the public will not be compromised by not performing the autopsy.
Can I give permission for organ donation?
Only the legal next-of-kin may grant permission for the donation of organs or tissues of the deceased. In cases falling under Medical Examiner jurisdiction, this permission is requested by the organ procurement agency after consultation with the medical examiner and determination that donation may proceed without compromising the duties of the medical examiner.
May I view the body at the Medical Examiner’s Office?
The Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office is not staffed to accommodate viewing requests. The body is typically ready for release to a funeral home of the family’s choice within 24 hours, and the funeral home is equipped with viewing capabilities.
What should the family be doing while the body is at the Medical Examiner’s Office?
Arrangements for the funeral and burial or cremation can be made as soon as the family is able to do so. It is not necessary to wait for the examination outcome to begin making arrangements. In most cases by the time the arrangements are made the deceased is ready for release to the funeral home of the family’s choice.
Can the Medical Examiner’s Office recommend a funeral home or crematory?
To avoid a conflict of interest, the Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office is not in a position to recommend a particular funeral home or crematory. Funeral homes can be located by looking in the Yellow Pages or on the internet. You may also want to check with friends and family for their recommendations.
Can the Medical Examiner’s Office perform an autopsy if a death does not fall under Medical Examiner jurisdiction?
The Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office does not perform autopsies on the bodies of individuals whose deaths that do not fall under Medical Examiner jurisdiction as defined by Florida Statute 406.11. If the next of kin wishes to pursue a private autopsy, he or she can consult with their local hospital or funeral home for a recommendation of a private pathologist. To avoid a conflict of interest the Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office, is not in a position to recommend any particular private pathologist or organization that perform private autopsies.
Are resources available to assist with the financial aspects of funeral arrangements?
Each of the 5 counties that make up District 5, and Seminole County, have an unclaimed/indigent burial program run by Community Services. For questions regarding the procedures governing these programs please contact the county in which the person died.
When will the body be released for burial or cremation?
Every effort is made to complete the investigation of a death rapidly and efficiently so that the family can proceed with final arrangements. Most cases are released the same day or the day after the body is received. The release of bodies in homicide cases and in cases requiring identification of the deceased individual may be delayed until all questions have been answered.
What happens to the deceased’s personal property?
Personal effects are removed at the place of death in most cases and turned over to family or the law enforcement agency and are not brought into the Medical Examiner’s Office. If personal effects are transported with the body, they are inventoried and released with the body to the funeral home for return to the family as desired, except in homicide cases where the effects may be evidence in the police investigation and are turned over to law enforcement.
Why are autopsy reports not always immediately available?
The determination of the cause and manner of death often involves more than just the physical procedures performed on the body. It may also involve laboratory studies, such as tests for drugs or alcohol in the deceased’s system and microscopic examination of tissues. In occasional cases, additional tests are required after the first results are received. Autopsy reports are not finalized until the results of all tests necessary to reach a reasonable medical certainty about the cause and manner of death are available.
What does it mean if the cause of death is listed as “Pending” on the death certificate?
In some cases, it is necessary that the cause and manner of death initially be recorded on the death certificate as “Pending.” This means that additional investigation or the results of laboratory tests are needed for the medical examiner to come to a conclusion as to the cause and manner of death. Once the needed information is obtained and the medical examiner has made a final determination, an updated death certificate will be issued.
A “Pending” death certificate does not result in a delay in the arrangements for the burial or cremation of the body.
How do I obtain an autopsy report?
Medical Examiner case files are public record, pursuant to Florida Statute 119.011. Any person may request a copy of an autopsy report.
Some case files may become exempt from public record release while under “active criminal intelligence or active criminal investigation” (F.S. 119.07(3)(b). Once this designation has been lifted, the record(s) will be made available.
You may request an autopsy report by calling (352)326-5961 and speaking with the Records Department. You may also send a written request with a self-addressed, stamped envelope (with 2 stamps, please!) to:
Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office
Attn: Records Department
809 Pine Street
Leesburg, FL 34748
Please include in your written request:
• The name of the deceased
• The date of death, if known
Information for requests for records other than autopsy reports may be obtained by calling the Records Department.
How do I obtain a copy of the death certificate?
The Medical Examiner’s Office completes only the portion of the death certificate that deals with medical information. The funeral director then completes the remainder of the document and it is filed with the Office of Vital Statistics in the county in which the death occurred. Copies of the death certificate can be obtained from the funeral home or from the Office of Vital Statistics.
You can contact the Office of Vital Statistics for the appropriate county at the number indicated below.
A medical examiner is a physician who is trained in forensic pathology, the branch of medicine that is involved with the investigation of potentially violent, suspicious or unnatural deaths. A board certified forensic pathologist has completed a training program in forensic pathology approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and has successfully passed a written and practical examination administered by the American Board of Pathology.
The role of the medical examiner is to determine objectively the cause and manner of death in such cases, often in collaboration with law enforcement and other investigative agencies. The types of deaths that fall under Medical Examiner jurisdiction are specified by Florida Statute 406.11. A medical examiner has no jurisdiction over deaths other than those specified by the statute.
In the state of Florida, each District Medical Examiner is appointed by the Governor. He or she then appoints Associate Medical Examiners. The medical examiners are assisted by trained medicolegal death investigators.
What is a coroner?
There is another type of governmental systems for the investigation of unnatural deaths in some parts of the United States. Under a coroner’s system, the official in charge is chosen by popular election. Some states require that a coroner be a licensed physician, while other states require no specialized training. Many modern coroners are funeral directors.
There are no coroners in the state of Florida, which has a statewide medical examiner system.
What is a medicolegal death investigator?
Many medical examiners’ offices employ specially trained medicolegal death investigators who assist in screening the cases reported to the office and in scene investigations. An investigator from the Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office typically responds to a death scene before the body is removed from the scene.
The American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) registers death investigators based on training, experience and written examinations. The medicolegal death investigators employed by the Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner's Office are required to pass the ABMDI registry examination.
Are medical examiners’ offices accredited?
The National Association of Medical Examiners (N.A.M.E.) administers a voluntary program for the inspection and accreditation of medical examiners’ offices. N.A.M.E.’s standards are meant to represent the minimum standards for an adequate medicolegal death investigation system and emphasize the policies and procedures of the office.
The Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office has been accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners since July 14, 2009.
When is an investigation by the Medical Examiner’s Office necessary?
In the case of an unexpected or possibly unnatural death, an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death by the Medical Examiner’s Office is legally required to determine the cause and manner of death and to establish the identity of the deceased before a medical examiner can sign the death certificate.
The medical examiner can often discover hidden evidence of injury to explain a sudden death or can document natural diseases to show that no foul play was involved in the death.
Governmental and private agencies, such insurance companies, as well as family members, rely on the findings of the medical examiner to resolve questioned issues regarding deaths.
How is geographic jurisdiction over a body determined?
The state of Florida is divided into 24 medical examiner districts. The place where a person dies or where the deceased’s body is found or is brought ashore from water determines the geographic jurisdiction.
The Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office serves only Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Seminole, and Sumter Counties.
What is an autopsy?
An autopsy is an intricate medical procedure in which a body is examined after death. The procedure often includes the performance of laboratory tests, such as toxicology studies. The actual postmortem examination includes the removal and inspection of all major organ systems for the purpose of documenting injury and/or disease or the lack thereof. An autopsy typically does not interfere with the final viewing and funeral of the deceased. Funeral directors prepare a body after autopsy according to the wishes of the family.
When is an autopsy necessary?
A complete autopsy is most often performed in traumatic or violent deaths (gunshot, stabbing, electrocution, burn, poison, fall, drowning, starvation, suffocation, strangulation, etc.), any police custody death, suspected suicide or drug overdose and in most cases of child death. Investigation or autopsy is necessary in all traumatic deaths regardless of the duration of survival or hospitalization of the injured person if no complete recovery was made after the injury.
An autopsy is not normally performed when the death appears to be from natural causes, adequate medical history exists, and there are no indications of foul play. The medical examiner often receives such cases only because the attending physician is not in Florida and therefore cannot sign a Florida death certificate, or because the person has never been to a physician.
Is there a fee for an autopsy?
There is no fee for an autopsy performed by the Medical Examiner’s Office. If a family desires to have an autopsy performed on the body of an individual whose death does not fall under Medical Examiner jurisdiction, the family may hire a private pathologist to perform the autopsy for a fee determined by that pathologist.
Is permission from the next-of-kin required before an autopsy can be performed?
Under Florida state law, a medical examiner is not required to receive permission from the next-of-kin to perform an autopsy in cases in which the death falls under Medical Examiner jurisdiction. Family objections to an autopsy, including religious objections, are handled on a case by case basis so that the statutory duties of the medical examiner, as well as the rights of the deceased and the interests of the public will not be compromised by not performing the autopsy.
Can I give permission for organ donation?
Only the legal next-of-kin may grant permission for the donation of organs or tissues of the deceased. In cases falling under Medical Examiner jurisdiction, this permission is requested by the organ procurement agency after consultation with the medical examiner and determination that donation may proceed without compromising the duties of the medical examiner.
May I view the body at the Medical Examiner’s Office?
The Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office is not staffed to accommodate viewing requests. The body is typically ready for release to a funeral home of the family’s choice within 24 hours, and the funeral home is equipped with viewing capabilities.
What should the family be doing while the body is at the Medical Examiner’s Office?
Arrangements for the funeral and burial or cremation can be made as soon as the family is able to do so. It is not necessary to wait for the examination outcome to begin making arrangements. In most cases by the time the arrangements are made the deceased is ready for release to the funeral home of the family’s choice.
Can the Medical Examiner’s Office recommend a funeral home or crematory?
To avoid a conflict of interest, the Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office is not in a position to recommend a particular funeral home or crematory. Funeral homes can be located by looking in the Yellow Pages or on the internet. You may also want to check with friends and family for their recommendations.
Can the Medical Examiner’s Office perform an autopsy if a death does not fall under Medical Examiner jurisdiction?
The Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office does not perform autopsies on the bodies of individuals whose deaths that do not fall under Medical Examiner jurisdiction as defined by Florida Statute 406.11. If the next of kin wishes to pursue a private autopsy, he or she can consult with their local hospital or funeral home for a recommendation of a private pathologist. To avoid a conflict of interest the Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office, is not in a position to recommend any particular private pathologist or organization that perform private autopsies.
Are resources available to assist with the financial aspects of funeral arrangements?
Each of the 5 counties that make up District 5, and Seminole County, have an unclaimed/indigent burial program run by Community Services. For questions regarding the procedures governing these programs please contact the county in which the person died.
- Lake County: 352-253-6153
- Marion County: 352-671-8770
- Sumter County: 352-793-0282
- Citrus County: 352-527-5410
- Hernando County: 352-540-4338
- Seminole County: 407-665-2357
When will the body be released for burial or cremation?
Every effort is made to complete the investigation of a death rapidly and efficiently so that the family can proceed with final arrangements. Most cases are released the same day or the day after the body is received. The release of bodies in homicide cases and in cases requiring identification of the deceased individual may be delayed until all questions have been answered.
What happens to the deceased’s personal property?
Personal effects are removed at the place of death in most cases and turned over to family or the law enforcement agency and are not brought into the Medical Examiner’s Office. If personal effects are transported with the body, they are inventoried and released with the body to the funeral home for return to the family as desired, except in homicide cases where the effects may be evidence in the police investigation and are turned over to law enforcement.
Why are autopsy reports not always immediately available?
The determination of the cause and manner of death often involves more than just the physical procedures performed on the body. It may also involve laboratory studies, such as tests for drugs or alcohol in the deceased’s system and microscopic examination of tissues. In occasional cases, additional tests are required after the first results are received. Autopsy reports are not finalized until the results of all tests necessary to reach a reasonable medical certainty about the cause and manner of death are available.
What does it mean if the cause of death is listed as “Pending” on the death certificate?
In some cases, it is necessary that the cause and manner of death initially be recorded on the death certificate as “Pending.” This means that additional investigation or the results of laboratory tests are needed for the medical examiner to come to a conclusion as to the cause and manner of death. Once the needed information is obtained and the medical examiner has made a final determination, an updated death certificate will be issued.
A “Pending” death certificate does not result in a delay in the arrangements for the burial or cremation of the body.
How do I obtain an autopsy report?
Medical Examiner case files are public record, pursuant to Florida Statute 119.011. Any person may request a copy of an autopsy report.
Some case files may become exempt from public record release while under “active criminal intelligence or active criminal investigation” (F.S. 119.07(3)(b). Once this designation has been lifted, the record(s) will be made available.
You may request an autopsy report by calling (352)326-5961 and speaking with the Records Department. You may also send a written request with a self-addressed, stamped envelope (with 2 stamps, please!) to:
Districts 5 & 24 Medical Examiner’s Office
Attn: Records Department
809 Pine Street
Leesburg, FL 34748
Please include in your written request:
• The name of the deceased
• The date of death, if known
Information for requests for records other than autopsy reports may be obtained by calling the Records Department.
How do I obtain a copy of the death certificate?
The Medical Examiner’s Office completes only the portion of the death certificate that deals with medical information. The funeral director then completes the remainder of the document and it is filed with the Office of Vital Statistics in the county in which the death occurred. Copies of the death certificate can be obtained from the funeral home or from the Office of Vital Statistics.
You can contact the Office of Vital Statistics for the appropriate county at the number indicated below.
- Lake County: 352-589-6424 Opt. 4
- Marion County: 352-629-0137
- Sumter County: 352-793-6979
- Hernando County: 352-754-4067 Ext. 110
- Citrus County: 352-527-0068 Ext. 261
- Seminole County: 407-665-3000