Overview

The Medical Examiner's Office serves the living, by investigating sudden, violent, unexpected, and suspicious deaths which occur in King County.

The Medical Examiner's Office is a unit of the Prevention Division of Public Health - Seattle & King County. The office personnel includes medical examiners, who are medical doctors specializing in the science of forensic pathology, medical investigators, autopsy assistants, and administrative support staff.

The Chief Medical Examiner is a physician certified in forensic pathology, authorized by King County, Washington, to investigate sudden unexpected, violent, suspicious, or unnatural deaths. The purpose of the Medical Examiner's Office is to bring trained medical evaluation to the investigation of deaths that are of concern to the public health, safety, and welfare of the community. Accurate investigation and determination of cause and manner of death are essential to our society for the following reasons:

1.	The innocent shall be exonerated;
2.	Murder shall be recognized;
3.	Criminal and civil court proceedings will be provided with documented, sound, and impartial medical evidence;
4.	Unrecognized hazards to public health shall be revealed;
5.	Industrial hazards shall be exposed.

To this end the Medical Examiner's Office assumes jurisdiction over human remains and, after a thorough investigation determines the cause and manner of death. Jurisdiction is vested in the Medical Examiner over all bodies who came to their death as described in Washington State Law, RCW 68.50. It should be noted, however, that reporting a death to the Medical Examiner is not synonymous with the Medical Examiner assuming jurisdiction or responding to a scene of death. Reporting assures that only deaths appropriate to the jurisdiction of the Medical Examiner will be assessed for investigation by the Medical Examiner. Reporting also assures that personnel familiar with criteria for jurisdiction will review the case information before reporting the death. Deaths which come under the jurisdiction of the Medical Examiner's Office include but are not limited to the following circumstances:

1.	Persons who die suddenly when in apparent good health and without medical attendance within thirty-six hours preceding death.
2.	Circumstances which indicate death was caused in part or entirely by unnatural or unlawful means.
3.	Suspicious circumstances.
4.	Unknown or obscure causes.
5.	Deaths caused by any violence whatsoever, whether the primary cause or any contributory factor in the death.
6.	Contagious disease.
7.	Unclaimed bodies.

How to get a copy of an autopsy report

1.	To obtain an autopsy report, you must be a family member of the deceased.
2.	Write to the King County Medical Examiner and indicate in writing (one sentence), your relationship with the deceased.
3.	Indicate on the same letter, the name of the deceased and date of death.
4.	Indicate that you are requesting the autopsy report and would like one copy.
5.	Include the mailing address of where the autopsy report should be sent.
6.	Sign and date the letter.
7.	Submit the $40.00 fee for the report. (Make checks payable to: Medical Examiner's Office). Checks and money orders by mail only. Cash is accepted in person. NOTICE: Starting January 1, 2008, the fee for autopsy reports will be $40.00 and Investigator Reports will be $20.00.
8.	Mail your letter and payment to (You may also hand deliver the letter in person): King County Medical Examiner's Office Harborview Medical Center, Box 359792 325 Ninth Avenue Seattle, Washington 98104-2499