§ 36-2-14-20 — County responsibility for costs of autopsies

(a) This section applies only to the autopsy
of a person whose death is:
(1) natural;
(2) suspicious;
(3) violent;
(4) accidental; or
(5) from an overdose.
(b) As used in this section, "autopsy" means the external and
surgical internal examination of all body systems of a decedent,
including toxicology and histology.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (e) and IC 4-24-4-1, if an
Indiana resident dies in an Indiana county as a result of an incident that
occurred in another Indiana county, the county coroner where the death
occurred shall contact the coroner of the county where the incident
occurred to discuss whether an autopsy is needed. The coroner where
the incident occurred must respond to the coroner where the death
occurred not more than twenty-four (24) hours after being contacted to
discuss the need for an autopsy. If, after discussion, the coroners:
(1) agree that an autopsy is needed:
(A) the coroner of the county in which the incident occurred is
responsible for the cost of the autopsy, including the physician
fee under section 6(e) of this chapter; and
(B) the coroner of the county where the death occurred shall bill
the county in which the incident occurred for the costs in clause
(A) not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the death
occurred; or
(2) disagree that an autopsy is needed, the coroner of the county
that conducts the autopsy is responsible for the cost of the
autopsy, including the physician fee under section 6(e) of this
chapter except in the instance of a criminal case that could result
in criminal charges in which the county where the incident
occurred is responsible for the cost of the autopsy, including the
physician fee under section 6(e) of this chapter.
(d) If the coroner where the incident occurred fails to respond to the
coroner where the death occurred not more than twenty-four (24) hours
after being contacted under subsection (c) to discuss whether an
autopsy is needed:
(1) the coroner where the death occurred may perform an autopsy,
if the coroner believes that an autopsy is warranted;
(2) the coroner of the county in which the incident occurred is
responsible for the cost of the autopsy, including the physician fee
under section 6(e) of this chapter; and
(3) the coroner of the county where the death occurred shall bill
the county in which the incident occurred for the costs in
subdivision (2) not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after
the death occurred.
(e) Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d) and IC 4-24-4-1,
payment for the costs of an autopsy requested by a party other than the:
(1) prosecuting attorney; or
(2) county coroner;
of the county in which the individual died must be made by the party
requesting the autopsy.
(f) This section does not preclude the coroner of a county in which
a death occurs from attempting to recover autopsy costs from the
jurisdiction outside Indiana where the incident that caused the death
occurred.

Legislative History

As added by P.L.271-2001, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.67-2003, SEC.1; P.L.225-2007, SEC.18; P.L.193-2018, SEC.6; P.L.73-2023, SEC.4; P.L.148-2024, SEC.31; P.L.225-2025, SEC.1.