American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) Practice Exam

Who must provide authorization for a medicolegal autopsy?

1. The decedent's next of kin

2. The coroner or medical examiner

3. A physician involved in the case

4. A legal document signed before death

The correct answer is: The coroner or medical examiner

Authorization for a medicolegal autopsy is primarily the responsibility of the coroner or medical examiner. This is due to the legal framework surrounding medicolegal autopsies, which are conducted in cases where the death is sudden, unexplained, or potentially due to criminal activity. In such scenarios, the coroner or medical examiner acts on behalf of the state to investigate the circumstances of the death. While the next of kin may have rights related to the autopsy process and could provide consent in other types of autopsies, in medicolegal cases, the overarching authority rests with the coroner or medical examiner. Their role is to ensure that the investigation adheres to legal and medical standards, and they have the authority to proceed with the autopsy without additional consent from the family when it falls under their jurisdiction. Therefore, the correct recognition of the coroner or medical examiner’s responsibility highlights the legal and procedural background for conducting medicolegal autopsies, distinguishing them from other types of autopsy scenarios where family consent might be more influential.