Autopsy Reports

Final Reports of Autopsy can take weeks to several months to prepare due to the detailed studies that may be performed during the autopsy procedure. All Final Reports of Autopsy are distributed to the State’s Attorneys Office per 18 V.S.A. § 505. In certain circumstances, such as cases in which there is an ongoing criminal investigation, the state’s attorney has jurisdiction over the distribution of the autopsy findings. 

Families wishing to obtain a copy of the Final Report of Autopsy must complete the Statement of Next of Kin. The statement must be signed by the legal next-of-kin and be submitted to the Office of The Chief Medical Examiner. Final Reports of Autopsy are technical, and it is recommended that it be reviewed with a family physician.

Confidentiality of Autopsy Reports - Who is Legal Next of Kin?

In compliance with the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner records are confidential and are released with the written consent of the legal next-of-kin or personal representative. Under Vermont law, next-of-kin is defined as the following, in order of precedence: 

  1. If the decedent was an unemancipated minor, their parents or legal guardians with legal rights and responsibilities
  2. The decedent's spouse (current marriage or civil union)
  3. The decedent's children, or the legal custodian of the decedent's children acting on their behalf if they are minors
  4. The decedent's parents
  5. The decedent's siblings
  6. The decedent's grandparents
  7. The decedent's other relatives by degrees of separation 

 

Death Certificates

For information on how to obtain a copy of a Vermont Certificate of Death, visit Vermont Vital Records

Topics:
Death Investigation
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