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mortuary law

autopsy

Autopsy, borrowed from the Greek autopsia, meaning “the act of seeing with one’s own eyes,” means the detailed medical examination and/or dissection of a dead body to determine the cause of death or for any scientific and medical purpose. Most of the time, autopsies are used to determine disease, injury, and cause of death of an individual in a criminal investigation.

autopsy rights

Autopsy rights are those given to the deceased and the next of kin to determine whether and to what extent autopsies should be performed. Typically, the individual (prior to death) and next of kin get to decide whether an autopsy is performed, but there are exceptions, such as when there is suspicion regarding the circumstances surrounding the death.

burial permit

A burial permit is a required document to be acquired before a body can be buried or cremated. The requirements differ slightly depending on the form of disposition, but the person responsible for burial or cremation cannot proceed without receiving a burial permit. A burial permit can be obtained after a death certificate has been issued and any other state and local requirements have been followed. Typically, a funeral director obtains a burial permit.

burial transit permit

Burial transit permit (also referred to as a removal permit) is a requirement under state law for the deceased to be transferred to the place of burial or disposition. A burial transit permit may be a separate document from a burial permit, which is the permit that allows for a body to be buried, or the permit may include both transit and burial together.

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