Medical Examiner's Office

Services provided by the County Medical Examiner
The County Medical Examiner is required by the "Post Mortem Examination Act" (TCA § 38-7-101 et seq.) to investigate certain types of deaths occurring in this county and to keep records on investigations and examinations of all such deaths.

Services provided include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conducting death investigations in coordination with various professionals in accordance with TCA § 38-7-108: Death under suspicious, unusual or unnatural circumstances.  This service is primarily delegated to the County Medical Examiner Investigators, in accordance with TCA § 38-7-104.
• Providing an opinion as to the cause and manner of death.
• Completing death certificates for those deaths that fall under medical examiner jurisdiction.
• Issuing cremation permits.
• Ordering an autopsy when necessary to determine cause and manner of death.
• Assisting with public records requests relating to county medical examiner death investigations, in accordance with TCA § 38-7-110.