Oregon

Is medical death investigation system centralized, county-based, or district-based?
Centralized. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.065.

If centralized, in which department or agency is the system housed?
Department of State Police. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.035.

Does the state system have a coroner, medical examiner, or coroners and medical examiners?
Medical examiner. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.065.

“In practice” notes
None.

Is there a state medical examiner?
Yes. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.035.

If so, what is the state medical examiner’s role?
(2) The State Medical Examiner shall manage all aspects of the State Medical Examiner’s program.

(3) Subject to the State Personnel Relations Law, the State Medical Examiner may employ or discharge other personnel of the State Medical Examiner’s office.

(4) The State Medical Examiner’s office shall:

(a) File and maintain appropriate reports on all deaths requiring investigation.

(b) Maintain an accurate list of all active district medical examiners, assistant district medical examiners and designated pathologists.

(c) Transmit monthly to the Department of Transportation a report for the preceding calendar month of all information obtained under ORS 146.113.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.035.

(2) The State Medical Examiner shall:

(a) Appoint and discharge each district medical examiner as provided by ORS 146.065 (2).

(b) Designate those pathologists authorized to perform autopsies under ORS 146.117 (2).

(c) Approve those laboratories authorized to perform the analyses required under ORS 146.113 (2).

(3) The State Medical Examiner may:

(a) Assume control of a death investigation in cooperation with the district attorney.

(b) Order an autopsy in a death requiring investigation.

(c) Certify the cause and manner of a death requiring investigation.

(d) Amend a previously completed death certificate on a death requiring investigation.

(e) Order a body exhumed in a death requiring investigation.

(f) Designate a Deputy State Medical Examiner as Acting State Medical Examiner.

(g) After a reasonable and thorough investigation, complete and file a death certificate for a person whose body is not found.

(4) Distribution of moneys from the State Medical Examiner’s budget for partial reimbursement of each county’s autopsy expenditures shall be made subject to approval of the State Medical Examiner.

(5) Within 45 days of receipt of information that a person is missing at sea and presumed dead, the State Medical Examiner shall determine whether the information is credible and, if so, complete and file a death certificate for the person presumed dead. If the information is determined not to be credible, the State Medical Examiner may continue the death investigation.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.045.

(1) The State Medical Examiner shall assist and advise district medical examiners in the performance of their duties.

(2) The State Medical Examiner shall perform autopsies, if in the judgment of the State Medical Examiner such autopsy is necessary in any death requiring investigation, when requested by a medical examiner or district attorney.

(3) The State Medical Examiner shall regularly conduct training programs for the district medical examiners and law enforcement agencies.

(4) The State Medical Examiner shall submit an annual report to the State Medical Examiner Advisory Board detailing the activities and accomplishments of the state and each county office in the preceding year as well as a cost analysis of the office of the State Medical Examiner.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.055.

In what department or agency is the state medical examiner’s office located?
Department of State Police. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.035.

Are there deputies?
After consultation with the State Medical Examiner Advisory Board, the State Medical Examiner shall appoint each Deputy State Medical Examiner. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§ 146.045

Each district medical examiner may appoint one or more assistant district medical examiners. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.080.

The district medical examiner shall appoint, subject to the approval of the district attorney and applicable civil service regulations, qualified deputy medical examiners, including the sheriff or a deputy sheriff and a member of the Oregon State Police for each county. Other peace officers may also be appointed as deputy medical examiners. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.085.

If so, what are the deputies’ roles?
When delegated by the district medical examiner, an assistant district medical examiner shall:

(a) Assist the district medical examiner in investigating and certifying deaths.

(b) Have the authority and responsibility to investigate and certify deaths requiring investigation.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.080.

A deputy medical examiner shall investigate deaths subject to the control and direction of the district medical examiner or the district attorney. A deputy medical examiner may authorize the removal of the body of a deceased person from the apparent place of death.

The deputy medical examiner may not authorize embalming, order a post-mortem examination or autopsy, or certify the cause and manner of death.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.085.

What are the qualifications for deputies?
The qualifications of an assistant district medical examiner shall be prescribed by the State Medical Examiner Advisory Board. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.080.

The district medical examiner and the district attorney shall establish qualifications for deputy medical examiners. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.085.

Is the coroner or medical examiner position elected?
No. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.045.

If so, how many years is the term of office?
Not applicable.

What are the qualifications specified by law?
Unspecified.

The State Medical Examiner Advisory Board shall:

(1) Recommend to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services the qualifications and compensation for the positions of State Medical Examiner and Deputy State Medical Examiner. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.025.

The district medical examiner shall regularly conduct administrative training programs for the assistant district medical examiners, deputy medical examiners and law enforcement agencies. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.095.

What types of deaths are required to be investigated?

(1) The medical examiner shall investigate and certify the cause and manner of all human deaths:

(a) Apparently homicidal, suicidal or occurring under suspicious or unknown circumstances;

(b) Resulting from the unlawful use of controlled substances or the use or abuse of chemicals or toxic agents;

(c) Occurring while incarcerated in any jail, correction facility or in police custody;

(d) Apparently accidental or following an injury;

(e) By disease, injury or toxic agent during or arising from employment;

(f) While not under the care of a physician during the period immediately previous to death;

(g) Related to disease which might constitute a threat to the public health; or

(h) In which a human body apparently has been disposed of in an offensive manner.

(2) As used in this section, “offensive manner” means a manner offensive to the generally accepted standards of the community.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.090.

The district medical examiner and the district attorney for the county where death occurs, as provided by ORS 146.100 (2), shall be responsible for the investigation of all deaths requiring investigation. Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.095.

What types of deaths are required to be autopsied?

(1) A medical examiner or district attorney may order an autopsy performed in any death requiring investigation . . .

(2) If an autopsy is ordered, the medical examiner shall obtain the services of a pathologist authorized under ORS 146.045 (2)(b).

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.117.

Does the state require that pathologists perform the autopsies?
Yes. If an autopsy is ordered, the medical examiner shall obtain the services of a pathologist . . . Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146.117.