Medical Examiner

The Los Angeles County CA Medical Examiner investigates deaths that fall within the department’s legal jurisdiction and provides case information, records, family services, personal property assistance, and other public services connected with those investigations. This article explains why the department may become involved, how to search for a case, how the examination and release process works, which records may be requested, what families should prepare, and which common mistakes can delay or complicate a request.

Department Role and Jurisdiction

The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner uses forensic science to conduct independent death investigations. Its responsibility is to determine the circumstances, cause, and manner of deaths that meet requirements established under state law.

The department may become involved in sudden, violent, suspicious, or unusual deaths. Its jurisdiction also includes certain deaths in which the deceased had not been seen by a physician during the 20 days before death. A death may also be referred when no physician is available, willing, or legally permitted to sign the death certificate.

Medical Examiner involvement does not automatically mean that a crime occurred. Some investigations involve suspected homicide, suicide, or accidental death, while others concern natural deaths for which additional investigation is legally required. A case may be relatively straightforward, requiring several telephone calls to verify an expected death related to a known terminal condition. Other cases require a death-scene investigation, interviews, property protection, identification procedures, an autopsy, laboratory testing, and efforts to locate and notify the legal next of kin.

The Reporting Desk receives initial notifications from law enforcement agencies, health care providers, funeral directors, and families. Department personnel review the reported circumstances to decide whether the death falls within Medical Examiner jurisdiction and whether an investigation should be opened.

Medical Examiner Case Search

The official Medical Examiner case search provides public information about cases handled by the department. Searches may be conducted using a first name, last name, age, date of death, or Medical Examiner case number. The system also provides sorting and results-per-page settings that can help narrow a large set of records.

Depending on the record and its current status, a search result may show the decedent’s name, case number, place of death, date of death, and age. Additional case details may include the assigned investigator, final cause of death, manner of death, examination status, and whether the remains are ready for release.

Information to Prepare

A search is more likely to return the correct record when the identifying information matches the department’s record. Before searching, gather as many of the following details as possible:

The decedent’s legal first and last name.
The approximate or exact age.
The date of death.
The Medical Examiner case number, when available.
Alternative name spellings that may have been used in the record.

When the name is common, adding an age or date of death can reduce unrelated results. A case number is usually the most direct search method because it identifies the department’s investigation rather than relying only on personal information.

Cases Missing From Results

The online system is limited to Medical Examiner cases. It is not a database of every death that occurs in Los Angeles County. A person whose death was handled by a physician, hospital, or another process without Medical Examiner jurisdiction may not appear.

Some active cases are intentionally excluded from public search results. Cases may be withheld when next of kin have not yet been notified or when a security hold has been placed on the information. A missing result therefore does not establish that the department has no case. It may mean that the record is temporarily restricted, that the search information does not match, or that the death was not handled by the Medical Examiner.

Information displayed in the case search is a public record subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. Users should still distinguish the information visible in an online case entry from a complete Medical Examiner report, a death certificate, and records maintained by law enforcement or health care agencies.

Case Numbers and Official Records

A Medical Examiner case number identifies the department’s investigation. It is not a booking number, court case number, police report number, death certificate number, or funeral home account number. Providing the wrong type of number can lead to an unsuccessful search or a request being sent to the wrong agency.

The case number should be retained throughout the process. Families, funeral directors, authorized representatives, and records requesters may need it when discussing release authorization, personal property, reports, payments, or the status of an examination.

The department’s online services include access to case information, document purchasing, and transportation or handling payment functions. The case information service may show whether a case is ready for release, but the funeral director remains responsible for coordinating the release of the remains with the department.

Investigation and Examination Process

The official Medical Examiner process begins with notification and jurisdiction review. When the department accepts a case, an investigation is opened and the remains may be transported to the Medical Examiner facility.

Investigators gather information about the circumstances of death. This may include statements from witnesses, medical history, scene observations, law enforcement information, medications, personal property, and details needed to establish identity and locate the legal next of kin.

A deputy medical examiner then conducts an examination to determine the cause and manner of death. The examiner decides whether an autopsy, toxicology analysis, or other laboratory testing is required. Not every Medical Examiner case requires a full autopsy. The level of examination depends on the circumstances and the department’s medical and legal responsibilities.

Cause and Manner of Death

Cause of death refers to the injury or disease that ultimately led to death. Manner of death describes how the death occurred. The recognized manners include natural, accident, suicide, homicide, and undetermined.

A natural manner means the death resulted entirely or nearly entirely from a natural disease process. Accident applies when an injury caused death without evidence of an intent to cause harm. Suicide applies when the fatal injury occurred with the intent to cause self-harm or death. Homicide applies when death resulted from a volitional act by another person. Undetermined is used when the available evidence is insufficient to assign another manner.

A Medical Examiner classification of homicide is a medical determination about how the death occurred. It should not be confused with a criminal court judgment concerning guilt, legal defenses, or the specific offense that may be charged.

Autopsy and Laboratory Testing

During an autopsy, a forensic pathologist examines the body for injuries and diseases and may collect organ sections, blood, urine, vitreous fluid, bile, and other biological specimens. The department may retain tissues, organs, or body fluids when the examiner believes they will assist in determining cause and manner of death or are needed for evidentiary purposes.

Toxicology testing analyzes biological specimens for drugs, toxins, and poisons. The department states that toxicology results currently return on average in two to four months, although some cases take longer. Testing may continue after the remains have been released to the funeral home.

If additional testing is needed, the initial cause of death may be deferred. A deferred death certificate allows funeral arrangements to proceed while the investigation remains incomplete. After the pathologist receives and reviews the necessary results, the death certificate may be amended with the final cause of death.

Religious Objections

A family that objects to an autopsy on religious grounds should notify the department as soon as possible. The department attempts to accommodate family wishes when permitted, but an autopsy may still be required.

A Certificate of Religious Belief must be completed before the autopsy. The person executing the certificate must be at least 18 years old and must state clearly that postmortem anatomical dissection or specified procedures would violate that person’s religious convictions. The certificate must be signed and dated in the presence of at least two witnesses. Each witness must sign and provide a printed name and residence address.

Religious belief exemptions cannot be made for children under 18. California law also permits an objection to be overridden under certain circumstances, including reasonable suspicion that death resulted from the criminal act of another person or from a contagious disease that presents a public health hazard.

First Steps for Families

The department’s information for families explains that the family should select a funeral home and tell the funeral director that the death is being handled by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. The funeral director should notify the department that the funeral home will be handling the arrangements.

The Medical Examiner does not select funeral homes and does not make funeral arrangements. The selected funeral director normally obtains the required authorization from the person legally entitled to direct disposition of the remains and submits the release documents to the department.

Legal Next of Kin

The person authorized to arrange the release is generally the legal next of kin or another person legally authorized to direct disposition. The applicable next-of-kin order may include a surviving spouse, adult children, surviving parents, or another blood relative, unless a valid legal document provides otherwise.

The person authorized to direct disposition of the remains may not always be the same person authorized to manage the decedent’s financial, estate, or other personal affairs. Families should avoid assuming that access to an account, residence, or financial document automatically establishes authority to release the remains.

Third-Party Arrangements

When someone other than the legal next of kin will make arrangements for the family, the department must receive a notarized written authorization signed and dated by the legal next of kin. The authorization should include:

The decedent’s name.
The Medical Examiner case number.
The authorizing person’s name and telephone number.
The authorizing person’s relationship to the decedent.
The name of the selected funeral director.

If the remains will be shipped to a mortuary outside Los Angeles County, both the local mortuary and the receiving mortuary must be specifically identified in the authorization. Leaving out either funeral home can prevent the department from acting on the request as intended.

Identification and Viewing

Families generally do not need to visit the Medical Examiner facility to make a visual identification. In most cases, visual identification is not required. If an in-person visit, medical records, dental information, or X-rays are needed, a department representative will contact the appropriate person.

The Medical Examiner facility does not provide family viewing. Viewing arrangements must be made with the selected funeral home after the remains are released. An autopsy does not automatically prevent an open-casket service, although trauma or other circumstances may affect whether viewing is appropriate. The funeral home can discuss presentation and service arrangements with the family.

Release of the Remains

The remains become available for release after the required examination is completed. The department states that release generally should not take more than two to three days. This is a general timeframe rather than a guarantee for every investigation. Identification issues, security restrictions, evidence needs, or other case-specific circumstances can affect release.

The funeral director coordinates the release on the family’s behalf. The department must receive authorization signed by the person legally entitled to direct disposition. The mortuary normally supplies the correct authorization form, obtains the signature, and sends the paperwork to the Medical Examiner.

Families should not assume that a preliminary online status by itself authorizes pickup. The funeral home must complete its part of the release process and receive confirmation from the department.

Death Certificates and Letters

The Department of Medical Examiner does not maintain or distribute certified death certificates. For deaths occurring within the previous year, death certificates are handled by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. After one year has passed, the responsibility transfers to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Certified copies may also be requested through the funeral home.

A death certificate is the official legal record of death. It contains information about the deceased and the cause of death. Insurance companies, the Social Security Administration, and other agencies may request certified copies as proof of death.

A Proof of Death Letter is a certified letter documenting the decedent’s name and the date and place of death. It does not replace a death certificate. Before purchasing or requesting the letter, confirm that the receiving agency will accept it for the intended purpose.

When cause-of-death testing is incomplete, the family may initially receive a deferred death certificate. That document allows funeral arrangements to move forward. An amendment may be issued after special testing is completed and the final cause of death is determined.

Reports and Record Requests

Medical Examiner case reports are maintained by the Records Section. A report ordinarily includes the autopsy report and investigation report. Depending on the case, it may also include toxicology, criminalist, gunshot residue, or consultant reports.

The current stated price of a Medical Examiner case report is $32. Older archived case reports are $94. Older records may be stored on microfilm or microfiche and must be transferred to paper before release. Some historical records date to the 19th century and were created in handwritten medical books.

A Medical Examiner report does not include every document connected with a death. Law enforcement reports must be requested from the law enforcement agency that created them. Medical records must be requested from the hospital, physician, or other health care provider that maintains them.

Photographs are not included in the standard Medical Examiner report. The department states that photographs are released to the legal next of kin only under a court order. Requesters should not pay for a standard report expecting it to contain scene or autopsy photographs.

Medical Examiner reports and Proof of Death Letters may be purchased through the department’s online document service. The Public Services Division handles records requests and also supports personal property, transportation billing, medical report processing, subpoena management, and inquiries from law enforcement agencies.

Personal Property Claims

Personal possessions held by the Medical Examiner may be claimed by the legal next of kin. The Personal Property Section inventories, safeguards, and releases eligible property. Before visiting, the claimant should confirm that the department has the property and ask which documents will be required.

Driver’s licenses, passports, military identification cards, and other government-issued documents are not released to the next of kin. They are returned to the issuing agency for disposition.

Some property may be held by a police department, sheriff’s station, or another law enforcement agency rather than the Medical Examiner. In that situation, the claimant must contact the agency that has custody of the items. The Medical Examiner cannot release property held elsewhere.

Clothing is generally not treated as personal property. Unless it must be retained as evidence, it is released to the mortuary with the remains. Clothing that creates a health or safety hazard may be disposed of.

The Personal Property Section operates Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Property release is available Monday through Thursday during the department’s stated release hours. Arriving without first confirming custody and documentation requirements can result in an unnecessary trip.

Forms and Written Authorizations

The department’s official Medical Examiner forms include the Order for Release, the Form 7 declaration, durable power of attorney documents for release of remains or property, exposure and confidential testing requests, extended evidence retention requests, and next-of-kin authorization.

Each form serves a different purpose. An order or authorization for release should not be substituted for a personal property declaration, evidence request, or health-exposure form. Users should select the document that matches the action being requested and complete all required identifying information.

Names, case numbers, relationships, signatures, dates, funeral home information, and notarization should be reviewed before submission when the form calls for them. Incomplete identifying information can make it difficult for staff to connect the document to the correct case.

Transportation and Handling Payments

The department operates an online payment service for people who have received an invoice for transportation or handling. Payment should be connected to the invoice and case information supplied by the department. A person should not submit payment merely because the death became a Medical Examiner case.

The department’s transportation function concerns moving the decedent from the place of death to its facility. Transportation and storage billing is managed through Public Services. Families with an invoice question should use the case and invoice information when contacting the billing section so staff can identify the correct account.

County Disposition

When the deceased and legal next of kin lack sufficient funds for burial, County disposition may be an available alternative. Proof of indigence is required before County disposition can be authorized.

County disposition may involve substantial delays in obtaining a death certificate and, as a result, delays in receiving certain benefits. Under the described County process, the remains are cremated and the cremated remains are held for about three years before interment in a common gravesite at the Los Angeles County Cemetery.

Families considering this process should provide requested indigence documentation and should account for the possible effect of delays on insurance, benefits, estate administration, and other matters requiring a certified death certificate.

Unidentified Persons Records

The unidentified persons search is separate from the standard named case search. It allows users to search public records using details such as sex, ethnicity, date found, and case number. Results may include an estimated age or age range.

A family searching for a missing person should not assume that a failed name search rules out Medical Examiner involvement. An unidentified person may not yet have a confirmed legal name. Available descriptive information may also be incomplete while an investigation is active.

As with the named case search, unidentified-person case information displayed online is public record. Search results should be treated as case information rather than a formal identification or a replacement for direct communication with the investigating agency.

Common Request Mistakes

Searching the case database as though it contains every death in Los Angeles County.

Assuming that a missing result proves the Medical Examiner has no case.

Using a police report, court, hospital, or death certificate number as the Medical Examiner case number.

Expecting the Medical Examiner to select a funeral home or make funeral arrangements.

Sending release authorization without the decedent’s name, case number, relationship, signature, or funeral home information.

Identifying only one mortuary when the remains will be transferred outside the county through two funeral homes.

Visiting the facility expecting to view the deceased.

Requesting a death certificate from the Medical Examiner instead of the funeral home, Public Health, or Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

Purchasing a Medical Examiner report expecting it to include police reports, medical records, or photographs.

Attempting to claim property that is actually held by a law enforcement agency.

Arriving for personal property without confirming which identification or authorization documents are required.

Assuming that a deferred cause of death means funeral arrangements must wait until toxicology is complete.

Medical Examiner Office

County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner
1104 N. Mission Road
Los Angeles, CA 90033
323-343-0512
323-343-0714

Medical Examiner FAQs

How can I search for a Medical Examiner case?

Use the official Los Angeles County Medical Examiner case search. You may search by first name, last name, age, date of death, or case number. Results can include the case status, assigned investigator, place and date of death, and the final cause and manner of death when available. The database covers Medical Examiner cases only, not every death in Los Angeles County. A case may be temporarily unavailable when the next of kin has not been notified or when a security hold applies.

Why does a case show a deferred cause of death?

A deferred finding means the initial examination did not provide enough information to determine the final cause or manner of death. The pathologist may be waiting for toxicology, microscopic examination, medical records, or other specialized testing. The county may issue an interim death certificate so funeral arrangements can proceed. After testing is completed, the death certificate can be amended with the final findings. Toxicology results commonly take two to four months, although some cases require more time.

How is a decedent released to a funeral home?

The family should select a funeral home and tell the funeral director that the death is being handled by the Department of Medical Examiner. The funeral director normally obtains the required authorization from the legal next of kin and coordinates the release. Most releases occur within two to three days, but complex identification issues, evidence requirements, or additional examinations can cause delays. The department does not select funeral homes or arrange funeral services. More guidance is available on the official information page for families.

Can families view the decedent at the department?

No. The Medical Examiner facility is not designed for family viewings. In most cases, relatives also do not need to visit the office to identify the decedent. If visual identification, medical records, dental records, or X-rays are necessary, a department representative will request them. Families should arrange any viewing with the funeral home after the decedent has been released.

Where can Medical Examiner reports be ordered?

Medical Examiner case records may include the autopsy report, investigator report, toxicology findings, and related laboratory reports. Eligible records and Proof of Death letters can be requested through the department’s official online services. A Proof of Death letter confirms the decedent’s name and the date and place of death, but it does not replace a certified death certificate.