Medical examiners conduct autopsies (thorough examinations of deceased bodies) to determine the cause of death and manner in which the death occurred. In the state of Arizona, autopsy reports are public records. Anyone can view the records or request copies, but sometimes a fee is required.
Autopsies fall under the jurisdiction of county governments. Contact the medical examiner's office in the county where the autopsy was performed to learn how to obtain a report.
Read More: How to View Autopsy Reports
Search online for the county in question or visit the website of the Arizona Association of Counties at http://www.azcounties.org. Click on "About Arizona's Counties" for a list of links to each of Arizona's 15 counties.
Ask the medical examiner's office in the appropriate county for details on how to obtain an autopsy report. You may need to provide the full name and date of death for the deceased person. A fee may be required to obtain the report if the deceased was not a member of your family.
Tips
Family members do not incur a charge for autopsy reports. Normally autopsy reports are available within 6-8 weeks; however, it may take longer. Make a copy of the autopsy request letter for your records.
References
Resources
Tips
- Family members do not incur a charge for autopsy reports.
- Normally autopsy reports are available within 6-8 weeks; however, it may take longer.
- Make a copy of the autopsy request letter for your records.
Writer Bio
Katherine Williams has been writing since 2007. She has covered crime for her neighborhood newspaper, "Sienna News," as well as health and wellness for various online publications. Williams is a medical coordinator at a renowned hospital for cancer patients and holds an Associate of Arts in health-care administration from Houston Community College.