District of Columbia § 5-1414 Autopsies performed under court order.

District of Columbia Statutes

§ 5-1414 — Autopsies performed under court order.

District of Columbia § 5-1414

Title 5Police, Firefighters, Medical Examiner, and Forensic Sciences.

Ch. 14Chief Medical Examiner.

This text of District of Columbia § 5-1414 (Autopsies performed under court order.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

D.C. Code § 5-1414 (2026).

Text

In the case of unexplained, sudden, violent, or suspicious death, when the body is buried without investigation, or there has been an inadequate investigation, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the United States Attorney's own motion, or at the request of a medical examiner, the Metropolitan Police Department, or another law enforcement agency, may petition the appropriate court for an order to conduct an inquiry. The court may order the body exhumed and an autopsy performed. In such cases, records and reports shall be filed as if the autopsy were performed prior to burial; except that, a copy of the report shall be furnished directly to the court.

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In the case of unexplained, sudden, violent, or suspicious death, when the body is buried without investigation, or there has been an inadequate investigation, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, on the United States Attorney's own motion, or at the request of a medical examiner, the Metropolitan Police Department, or another law enforcement agency, may petition the appropriate court for an order to conduct an inquiry. The court may order the body exhumed and an autopsy performed. In such cases, records and reports shall be filed as if the autopsy were performed prior to burial; except that, a copy of the report shall be furnished directly to the court.