Chapter 2.26
MEDICAL EXAMINER*
Sections:
2.26.020 Reference to county coroner.
2.26.030 Authority and functions of the office of medical examiner.
2.26.040 Duties of medical examiner.
2.26.050 Deaths reported to office of medical examiner.
2.26.060 Determination of jurisdiction.
2.26.070 Fee for autopsy reports.
2.26.080 Disposition of personal property.
2.26.090 Unclaimed human remains.
2.26.100 Unclaimed remains of crime victims.
2.26.110 Recoupment of county expense.
2.26.120 Interference with medical examiner or investigators.
* Editor’s Note: Former Chapter 2.26, “Coroner,” was repealed and replaced by Ord. 624 (2023). Sections 1 and 2 of Ord. 121 (1988), Ord. 423 (2009), and Section 1 of Ord. 572 (2019) were formerly codified in this chapter.
2.26.010 Definitions.
A. “Indigent deceased” means a deceased individual for whom no kin is liable for the cost of preparation, care, and disposition under RCW 68.50.160 and assets sufficient to cover such costs cannot be obtained from the estate or other sources.
B. “Medical examiner” means the individual assigned to function as the medical examiner for the Kitsap County office of the medical examiner.
C. “Office” means the Kitsap County office of the medical examiner.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.020 Reference to county coroner.
A. State laws and county code which apply or refer to the county coroner shall hereafter apply to the medical examiner, and the medical examiner shall have those powers, duties, and functions of the medical examiner and county coroner as provided by state law and this chapter.
B. The title coroner as used elsewhere in state statute and county code shall mean the medical examiner.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.030 Authority and functions of the office of medical examiner.
A. The office of the medical examiner shall perform the functions and duties of the medical examiner and coroner as set forth in Chapters 36.24 and 68.08 RCW, and other statutes of the state of Washington.
B. The office shall be managed and administered by the medical examiner or designee.
C. The office shall receive all notices required by statute to be given to the coroner.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.040 Duties of medical examiner.
The medical examiner or designee shall certify the cause of death in cases under the medical examiner’s jurisdiction, sign death certificates, determine the need for autopsies and perform or cause to be performed autopsies and perform such other duties assigned to the medical examiner or coroner by the laws of Washington State now in effect and as hereafter amended.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.050 Deaths reported to office of medical examiner.
A. All deaths over which the medical examiner has jurisdiction as identified in RCW 68.50.010 shall be immediately reported to the medical examiner.
B. Any person in possession of unclaimed human remains and any person who sees human remains under circumstances suggesting that no one has assumed responsibility for them shall notify the medical examiner.
C. Upon receipt of human remains the medical examiner shall attempt to notify the family as defined by RCW 68.50.105.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.060 Determination of jurisdiction.
Upon receiving the notification specified in Section 2.26.050, the medical examiner shall as soon as practicable determine whether to assume jurisdiction over the human remains under the authority of RCW 68.50.010.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.070 Fee for autopsy reports.
The office of the medical examiner may recover an administrative fee to cover the costs associated with the provision of investigative reports to non-family members. The fee shall be $50.00 per report.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.080 Disposition of personal property.
The medical examiner shall be responsible for the control and disposition of personal property of deceased persons under the jurisdiction of the medical examiner, which shall be transferred to the legal representatives of the deceased or next of kin, if appropriate. If the transfer cannot be made because there is no known next of kin or legal representative, or the next of kin or legal representative is not available to accomplish the transfer within thirty calendar days after the medical examiner assumes jurisdiction over the remains of the deceased, the personal property shall be deposited with the Kitsap County auditor’s office or transferred to an attorney pursuant to the institution of probate action.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.090 Unclaimed human remains.
A. Should the medical examiner, after appropriate inquiry and as provided in RCW 68.50.010, be unable to find any person obligated and financially able, or any other person or charitable organization willing to provide for the financial disposition of the remains of the deceased, the medical examiner shall arrange for the transportation and cremation of the remains of indigent deceased, as deemed appropriate, at county expense.
B. The cremains of the deceased may be made available to relatives, friends or nonprofit organizations who wish to conduct a memorial service or otherwise provide for the cremains.
C. The unclaimed cremains not disposed of as provide in subsection (B) of this section are to be retained for one year and then interred in the county plot at the Silverdale Pioneer Cemetery in a public service held annually on the second Saturday of July or other date determined appropriate by the medical examiner.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.100 Unclaimed remains of crime victims.
A. Should the medical examiner, after appropriate inquiry and as provided in RCW 68.50.010, be unable to find any person obligated and financially able, or any other person or charitable organization willing to provide for the financial disposition of the remains of the deceased crime victim, the medical examiner shall arrange for the transportation and burial of the body of the deceased in a county owned plot in lieu of cremation, when deemed necessary due to the circumstances surrounding the death, at county expense.
B. If burial is not deemed necessary, the disposition and burial of the remains shall be as provided in Section 2.26.090.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.110 Recoupment of county expense.
The county prosecuting attorney may pursue recoupment of county expenses in cases where such effort appears to be cost effective.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)
2.26.120 Interference with medical examiner or investigators.
Any person who knowingly interferes with any medical examiner, deputy medical examiners, or investigators of the office of the medical examiner, while performing their legal or official duties, or any person who knowingly gives false information or knowingly makes a false report to any of the above officials while the officials are acting in their official capacity is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(Ord. 624 (2023) § 1 (Att. 1), 2023)