Medical Examiner vs Coroner Essays

Medical Examiner vs Coroner Essays Medical Examiner vs Coroner Paper Medical Examiner vs Coroner Paper Next to the sheriff, the coroner or medical examiner is the oldest of the offices in the United States. Moreover, it is the oldest elective county office. The coroner or medical examiner is an ancient office of the common law. The principal function of medical examiner is to hold inquiry into the cause of an unexplained, sudden, or violent death, in certain cases with a jury. The importance of the coroner’s office has been considerably reduced from that of the fourteenth century, who had jurisdiction over a broad range of criminal cases and also over some civil proceedings. This paper is about the job of a present-day medical examiner also known as a coroner. Main Body The appointment, powers and duties of medical examiners vary to a large degree not only by country but by jurisdiction. In general, the medical examiner’s obligation is to make investigation of any sudden unexpected death, any death whose cause is not precisely determined and, surely, any death that may be abnormal. The medical examiner’s investigation is limited to determining the identity of the dead, in what way, at what time and in what place the death occurred, and the details required for entry in a register. In some states, however, the coroner has additional functions. For instance, in Georgia, the coroner has the powers and duties of a county sheriff. The coroner under certain circumstances (the sheriff is incompetent to act, the office of sheriff is made vacant by death or otherwise) may act as sheriff. In England and Wales, a present-day medical examiner must be either a person licensed to practise medicine or a lawyer of more than five years’ professional experience. Some medical examiners are qualified in two ways. In the United States, a present-day coroner is usually county-level officer that does not need necessarily to have any medical qualification. But in most states coroners are not necessarily medical examiners. Medical examiners are medical doctors who usually have practice in forensic pathology (An Overview of Medical Examiner/Coroner Systems in the United States 16). As indicated above, the medical examiner may investigate any death where there are uncertain matters about the circumstances or its cause. The deaths that should be reported to the medical examiner are as follows: The physician did not visit the patient during his last disease. The physician has not seen the patient during the specified amount of days directly prior to death. Physician has not seen the body after death. The death may have been caused by an industrial infection or violation of the person’s rights that caused him harm. Any sudden or not explained death. Any death in circumstances characterized by suspicion that something is wrong. Any death that an accident may have caused or in some way contributed to. Any indication that the death may be caused by neglect Any death that occurred in police custody Any death that occurred during an operation or anaesthetic. Medical examiner must acquire information about a person who is dead. Medical examiner obtains this information by conducting examinations, analysis of blood, analysis of DNA evidence, and analysis of documents associated with injury. The medical examiner determines the time and cause of death, and presents a formal death certificate and autopsy report. In case the death is concluded to be a murder, the information gathered by the medical examiner will serve as important evidence in the case. Nearly all deaths in the community are reported by the police, who are informed by the ambulance services when they are present at the scene of a sudden death. They also inform when crime is probable, a serious accident has taken place, or a body or remains, considered to be human, have been discovered. Any member of the community, who has suspicions about a death, may convey his feelings of anxiety to the medical examiner. Crime need not necessarily be suspected. It may also be a civil case, for instance a suspicion of medical negligence. The last is often reported by a relative or friend of the dead. When the accident has occurred, a medical examiner or representative of the medical examiner’s office picks up a deceased person from the site where he or she was discovered and brings the body back to the medical examiner’s office for examination (Hickman, M. J. et al. ). Much information is got through autopsies. When the medical examiner’s office orders an autopsy, it is usually performed by a pathologist. The pathologist’s report must be very detailed. A full account of the external appearances of the dead body must be presented. The information should include height, weight, and any distinctive features. After the autopsy is completed, the cause of death is determined. If the cause of death cannot be immediately made certain, or is unnatural, some delay is unavoidable, but attempts are made by medical examiner to keep this to a minimum. If, for instance, samples are directed for analysis in a case of possible drug overdose, the medical examiner will at most times open an inquest to take formal identification. In case medical examiner is sure that no further examination of the body is needed, he will issue an order for disposal (Rhine 1998). It is the duty of the medical examiner to hold an inquest when the conditions of time, place, etc. surrounding a death are of such a character as to make it seem likely to be a murder or other unlawful violet acts. In this case the medical examiner will refer the case to the court. The medical examiner enters on a list a jury, usually consisting of seven to eleven persons. When a medical examiner serves as a court officer, he or she presides over a court hearing that makes a decision regarding the cause of death and what should be done further. Conclusion As discussed in this paper, the medical examiner must investigate any death where there is uncertainty about the circumstances or its cause. For this purpose each medical examiner has an office, so that someone is always available to obtain required information. In addition, medical examiners employ the police as their investigative arm to gather evidence. Information presented by medical examiners is of great importance to any trial. References ‘An Overview of Medical Examiner/Coroner Systems in the United States-Development, Current Status, Issues, and Needs’, The National Academies: Forensic Science Needs Committee, Atlanta, GA. Available from: http://209. 85. 129. 132/search? q=cache:TDW1gjAjq7kJ:www7.nationalacademies. org/stl/June%2520Forensics%2520Hanzlick. pdf+Medical+Examiner/coronerhl=ukct=clnkcd=2gl=ua Hickman, M. J. et al. (2007). â€Å"Medical Examiners and Coroners’ Offices, 2004†, Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, U. S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs. Available from: http://209. 85. 129. 132/search? q=cache:d-hXXdwBaHoJ:www. ojp. usdoj. gov/bjs/pub/pdf/meco04. pdf+Medical+Examiner/coroner+dutieshl=ukct=clnkcd=19gl=ua Rhine, S. (1998). Bone Voyage: A Journey in Forensic Anthropology. University of New Mexico Press: Albuquerque.