Medical Examiner-Coroner
The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner investigates certain deaths and provides services that families may need after losing a loved one. This article explains the office’s responsibilities, arrangements for release to a funeral home, autopsy and toxicology report requests, religious objections, organ retention, and the Indigent Cremation Program. It also identifies the offices that issue death certificates and explains how to use the county’s unidentified-person information and death-data dashboard.
Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner Services
The Office of the Medical Examiner-Coroner is responsible for investigating sudden, unusual, or medically unattended deaths in Santa Clara County and determining the cause and manner of death. The Medical Examiner-Coroner is a licensed physician with specialized training and expertise in forensic pathology. The physician determines whether an autopsy is necessary to establish the cause and manner of death.
An investigation does not automatically mean that an autopsy or toxicology testing will occur. The office explains that some investigated deaths do not require an autopsy, and some cases do not require toxicology tests. This distinction matters when requesting records: a particular report may exist only if the corresponding examination or testing was performed.
The official Medical Examiner-Coroner website provides access to family services, release arrangements, property pickup scheduling, the death-data dashboard, and public notices. Choose the service that matches your task. Arranging release of a loved one, obtaining an investigative report, and ordering a certified death certificate involve different procedures.
Family Arrangements After a Death
Families dealing with a Medical Examiner-Coroner case may need to coordinate several separate matters: release of the deceased person, release of personal belongings, questions about an examination, and later requests for reports. Keeping these tasks separate helps prevent a records request from being mistaken for authorization to release the deceased person or property.
The office provides “What Do I Do Now?” brochures in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese through its page for people who have lost a loved one. These materials offer a county-provided starting point for families. For release arrangements, the office has a separate procedure involving the funeral home of the family’s choice.
Funeral Home Release Forms
The county’s funeral home pickup instructions identify two different documents. The Body Release Form is used when the selected funeral home will pick up the deceased person. The Property Release Form is used when that funeral home will pick up the person’s belongings.
Use the form that corresponds to what is being collected. If arrangements involve both the deceased person and personal property, the instructions identify a separate form for each task. Treating the two forms as interchangeable can leave part of the intended arrangement unaddressed.
The selected funeral home can send the completed form by fax or email. The county identifies MECAdmin@mec.sccgov.org as the email destination and provides the fax information on the release page. Coordinate submission with the funeral home so the appropriate release document reaches the office.
Personal Property Pickup
The office’s homepage also provides a service for scheduling a time to pick up a loved one’s property. This is a separate option from authorizing a funeral home to collect belongings through the Property Release Form. Select the option that matches the planned pickup arrangement.
A request for an autopsy report does not serve as a property-release request. Likewise, a Body Release Form addresses pickup of the deceased person rather than a request for investigative records. Using the correct service helps keep each request connected to its intended purpose.
Death Certificates and Investigative Reports
The Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office does not issue death certificates to the general public. Its role in investigating a death should not be confused with the role of an office that supplies certified copies of a death certificate.
According to the county’s death certificate instructions, family members may obtain certified copies from the funeral director at or near the date of death. Other requests should go to the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, Vital Statistics Section, or the County of Santa Clara Clerk-Recorder’s Office.
An autopsy report documents an examination performed in a Medical Examiner-Coroner case. A toxicology report records laboratory testing when that testing was appropriate. Neither is the same document as a certified death certificate. Before contacting an office, identify which record you actually need: a death certificate, an autopsy report, or a toxicology report.
Autopsy and Toxicology Report Requests
When an autopsy is performed, the Medical Examiner assigned to the case completes an Autopsy Report. The office states that completion can take three to six months. A report may be requested once it is complete, subject to the office’s disclosure restrictions.
Toxicology testing produces a separate laboratory report when the testing is performed. Although toxicology information is also included in the Autopsy Report, the Toxicology Report is a distinct record. Unless restricted, it may be obtained in the same manner and at the same time as the Autopsy Report.
The county’s report request instructions and public records policy allow requests in person, by telephone, by mail, or by email. Before making a request, the office recommends contacting staff to confirm that the desired report has been completed and is available for release. This is especially useful before mailing a payment.
Information for a Mailed Request
For a report request submitted by mail, the office asks requesters to contact it first to confirm availability and the cost. The mailed request should include:
The deceased person’s name.
The date of death.
The Medical Examiner-Coroner’s case number.
A check payable to Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office for the costs associated with the request.
Use the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s case number when identifying the investigative record. The office specifically requests that identifier with mailed report orders. Keep it with the person’s name and date of death so the request contains all three identifying details.
The mailing address appears in the office list at the end of this article. Confirming the amount before sending the check helps avoid a request arriving with an incorrect payment, particularly when mailing or older-file retrieval charges apply.
Restrictions on Report Release
A completed report is not necessarily available for immediate public release. The office states that autopsy reports involving homicides are unavailable until the case is adjudicated. Other records may also be restricted under the office’s public records policy.
The three-to-six-month autopsy completion period describes preparation of the report. It does not override restrictions on disclosure. When contacting staff, ask both whether the report is finished and whether it can be released; these are separate questions.
Public Records Inspection and Privacy
The Medical Examiner-Coroner’s published policy permits oral or written requests for records. There is no required request form or special wording. Requests may be made in person, by telephone, by mail, or by email.
Public inspection generally takes place from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Advance notice is not required, but the office recommends contacting staff before arriving to make sure the records will be available. An appointment may be necessary when records require research, review, or removal of confidential information.
Inspection must be consistent with the office’s operations. Staff may determine where records are inspected and may monitor the inspection to prevent loss or damage. The policy states that public inspection is free, although producing a copy when redaction is required can involve a charge.
Preparation Time and Redactions
Records containing protected personal or medical information may be redacted before inspection. Some categories of records, including certain investigative records, may be exempt from disclosure. A request therefore may result in access to a redacted record rather than every item in the case file.
For documents that are not readily available in an acceptable format, the office’s published policy describes additional preparation time. It states that, under normal circumstances, such documents will be presented for inspection within ten calendar days after receipt of the request. In unusual circumstances, the policy allows an additional fourteen days and provides for written notice explaining the extension.
These public records preparation periods are separate from the time needed to complete an autopsy report. Submitting a records request while an examination report is still being prepared does not make the unfinished report available.
Photographs and Video Recordings
The office places specific restrictions on photographs and video recordings of a deceased person’s body taken by or for the coroner at the death scene or during a postmortem examination or autopsy. Its policy states that these materials are not available through ordinary public inspection.
Anyone seeking to inspect or obtain copies of these photographs must obtain a court order under the procedure identified by the office. An ordinary request for an autopsy or toxicology report should not be treated as a request that will also provide photographs.
Fees for Reports and Other Services
The reports page lists a $5.75 report fee and an additional $2.25 charge for reports mailed from the office. It also explains that copying, postage, and certain electronic-record production costs may be charged. Older files can involve an additional retrieval charge, so confirm the applicable total before submitting payment.
The office generally does not charge for the time spent searching for, locating, collecting, or inspecting public records. Electronic requests requiring data compilation, extraction, programming, or other work to produce a copy may have production costs. Readily accessible data that does not impose significant cost is treated differently under the published policy.
The Medical Examiner-Coroner fee schedule also addresses storage of remains, body transportation, certified letters or copies, and specialized services. The schedule is labeled effective December 1, 2010. Confirm the charge applicable to your request with staff before paying, and ask for a receipt.
The published schedule lists storage at $58 per business day, with fees beginning five business days after autopsy, confirmation of identification, and completion of next-of-kin notification. It identifies waivers for qualifying indigent applications and other county agencies. Report fees, storage charges, and transportation charges cover different services; a payment for one should not be assumed to cover the others.
Religious Objections to an Autopsy
Families may raise a religious objection to an autopsy, but the Medical Examiner-Coroner remains responsible for determining whether an autopsy is necessary. The office states that it honors religious objections in many cases, while explaining that some requests cannot be honored.
The religious objection procedure requires the family to complete an Autopsy Objection form. The form is placed in the case file for review by the on-call doctor and discussion with the other doctors, including the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner. The page provides request forms in English and Spanish.
Review and Possible Examination
The office identifies circumstances in which an objection may not be honored, including a homicide, the death of an infant or child without a known medical history, or the sudden unexpected death of a non-elderly person. If an autopsy is necessary, the office will contact the family and explain the doctor’s decision.
If the request for no autopsy is honored, the body undergoes an external examination and postmortem ancillary studies, including complete toxicology analysis, without incisions or further dissection of internal organs. An accepted objection therefore does not mean that all examination or testing stops.
The office also explains that a lack of known medical history or medical records can affect the determination. In those circumstances, the cause and manner of death may be classified as undetermined because the physician cannot reliably conclude whether the death resulted from natural or unnatural causes.
Organ Retention During an Investigation
During an autopsy, the assigned pathologist may retain an organ for further examination when necessary to complete the investigation into the cause and manner of death. The office’s organ retention policy explains that an organ may also be sent to an outside laboratory for further analysis.
The office will make a reasonable effort to locate and advise the legal next of kin about the decision. It aims to provide notification in time for the next of kin to plan final disposition of both the deceased person and the retained organ. However, notification will not be made if the office believes it could compromise an ongoing criminal investigation.
An organ may be retained for several weeks. Subsequent release must comply with requirements for safe handling and disposition. In most cases, disposition follows the legal next of kin’s direction. If no direction is provided, the retained organ is cremated and the ashes are disposed of in a compassionate manner.
Indigent Cremation Program Requirements
The county’s Indigent Cremation Program is intended for a deceased person without an estate, family, or monetary resources to handle disposition of the remains. It can also apply when family members have no resources of their own to pay for disposition. Approval requires an application and investigation.
The Indigent Cremation Program instructions state that only the legal next of kin may complete and submit the paperwork. The completed documents must be mailed or brought to the Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office in person. The investigation generally takes thirty days after receipt, and the decision is communicated by mail or telephone.
An application will be denied if significant assets are available. The program page also explains that the legal next of kin is financially responsible for disposition under the cited state provisions and may be held financially responsible through a civil action. If the legal next of kin fails to inter the remains, the office states that it proceeds with indigent cremation after thirty days.
Disposition Timing and Cremated Remains
Once a person is declared indigent, the office describes an additional thirty-day period for disposition. This is separate from the application investigation period. The program should therefore not be understood as providing immediate cremation upon submission of paperwork.
The deceased person is first offered to the State of California’s Willed Body Program. The office states that it must report unclaimed persons to the State Curator when public money would otherwise pay for disposition. If the State Curator does not accept the deceased person, direct cremation follows.
Cremated remains are held in an established vault for six months. After that period, they are scattered at sea or, upon request, at a scatter garden. The program explicitly states that cremated remains are not returned to family members. Review this condition before pursuing the application if retaining the ashes is part of the family’s intended arrangements.
Unidentified Persons and Death Data
The county’s unidentified bodies page publishes individual entries using John Doe or Jane Doe designations and case identifiers. Depending on the entry, the information includes the date and location where the person was found, estimated age, physical characteristics, and other identifying details.
When reviewing an entry, compare the details together rather than relying on a single characteristic. Keep the published case identifier with any inquiry to the office so staff can identify the entry being discussed. These identifiers refer to the office’s unidentified-person cases.
For statistical information, the Medical Examiner-Coroner data dashboard provides access to death data, basic and advanced instructions, and a download option through the county’s Open Data Portal. The page identifies subjects such as death demographics, accidents, vehicle-related deaths, deaths in custody, suicides, homicides, and drug-related deaths.
Choose the dashboard when your purpose is to review county death data. Choose the report request procedure when you need an individual autopsy or toxicology report, and the designated certificate offices when you need a death certificate. These services address different records and should be approached separately.
Department and Office Contacts
Office of the Medical Examiner-Coroner
850 Thornton Way, San Jose, CA 95128-4702
Phone: (408) 793-1900
Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, Vital Statistics Section
976 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
Phone: (408) 885-2010
County of Santa Clara Clerk-Recorder’s Office
110 West Tasman Drive, San Jose, CA
Medical Examiner-Coroner FAQs
Why do older report retrieval fees differ between county pages?
The county’s reports page lists an additional $31 retrieval charge for files before 2000, while its fee schedule lists an additional $44 charge for cases before 2003. Those published instructions differ in both the amount and the years covered. If you need an older record, ask the office to confirm which retrieval charge applies to that specific case before submitting payment. Include the case year when asking, and request the total rather than calculating it from either page alone.
Is there a transportation fee when someone dies?
The published Medical Examiner-Coroner fee schedule lists a $275 removal fee, including the body bag, wrap, or sheet. It also lists exemptions for children under 18, indigent persons, and other government agencies taking jurisdiction. This is the office’s body transportation charge; it does not establish what a funeral home will charge for its own services. Before paying, ask whether an exemption applies to the case.
Does the private autopsy price include toxicology?
No. The county’s published private autopsy fee excludes initial or additional toxicology studies, additional nonmedical investigation into the cause and manner of death, and additional presentations in court or administrative proceedings. The schedule lists different prices depending on whether the examination is performed by the Medical Examiner-Coroner or an independent forensic pathologist using county equipment and facilities. Because the schedule is labeled effective December 1, 2010, confirm the applicable price, availability, and separately charged work before making arrangements.
Can I request electronic records instead of paper copies?
The office’s public records request policy addresses computer data, audio, and other record formats. It states that these records should be exact replicas unless providing an exact replica is impracticable. Describe the record and preferred format in your request, and ask whether that format is available. The policy does not guarantee that every case document exists electronically or can be supplied in a particular file type.