Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-400
(Formerly Sec. 19-525). Short title: Medicolegal Investigations Act
This chapter may be cited as the “Medicolegal Investigations Act”.
General Statutes of Connecticut Chapter 368q — Medicolegal Investigations
Connecticut · statute · Conn. Gen. Stat. ch. 368q · 18 active provisions
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-401
(Formerly Sec. 19-526). Commission on Medicolegal Investigations. Regulations
(a) There is established a Commission on Medicolegal Investigations, as an independent administrative commission, consisting of the Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee, and eight members appointed by the Governor as follows: Two full professors of pathology, two full professors of law, a membe…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-402
(Formerly Sec. 19-526a). Commission and office within The University of Connecticut Health Center for administrative purposes
Section 19a-402 is repealed, effective July 1, 2014.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-403
(Formerly Sec. 19-527). Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Fees. Regulations
(a) The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is established to be operated under the control and supervision of the commission. The expenses of the commission and of operating said office shall be paid by the state out of funds appropriated for the purpose. The office shall be directed by a Chief Medical Examiner who s…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-404
(Formerly Sec. 19-528). Chief Medical Examiner
The Chief Medical Examiner shall be a citizen of the United States and a doctor of medicine licensed to practice medicine in Connecticut and shall have had a minimum of four years postgraduate training in pathology, board certification in forensic pathology from the American Board of Pathology and such additional subse…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-405
(Formerly Sec. 19-529). Deputy Chief Medical Examiner. Staff
The Chief Medical Examiner, with the approval of the Commission on Medicolegal Investigations, shall appoint a deputy who shall perform all the duties of the Chief Medical Examiner in case of the Chief Medical Examiner's sickness or absence and such associate medical examiners, assistant medical examiners, pathologists…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-406
(Formerly Sec. 19-530). Powers and duties of Chief Medical Examiner. Certified pathologists. Autopsies
(a) The Chief Medical Examiner shall investigate all human deaths in the following categories: (1) Violent deaths, whether apparently homicidal, suicidal or accidental, including but not limited to deaths due to thermal, chemical, electrical or radiational injury and deaths due to criminal abortion, whether apparently…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-407
(Formerly Sec. 19-531). Reports of deaths. Procedure
(a) All law enforcement officers, state's attorneys, prosecuting attorneys, employees of the Department of Correction, other officials, physicians, funeral directors, embalmers and other persons shall promptly notify the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of any death coming to their attention which is subject to inv…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-407a
DNA typing
(a) After performing any death scene investigation when homicide is suspected, the official with custody of the human remains shall ensure that the human remains are delivered to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. (b) The Chief Medical Examiner shall obtain from the human remains (1) samples of tissue suitable f…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-408
(Formerly Sec. 19-532). Disposition of body after proceedings
After the termination of all proceedings for which the body is required by the Chief Medical Examiner, the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, an associate medical examiner or an authorized assistant medical examiner, the body shall be delivered to a person or persons entitled by law to receive the same; but, if there are n…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-409
(Formerly Sec. 19-533). Issuance of death certificate
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shall complete its investigation where reasonably possible within thirty days. Upon completion of the investigation, the Chief Medical Examiner, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, an associate medical examiner, an authorized assistant medical examiner or a pathologist designated by…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-410
(Formerly Sec. 19-534). Laboratories
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shall maintain a laboratory or laboratories suitably equipped with medical, scientific and other facilities for performance of the duties imposed by this chapter. Laboratories may be maintained in collaboration with The University of Connecticut or any other medical school or ho…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-411
(Formerly Sec. 19-535). Records
(a) The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shall keep full and complete records properly indexed, giving the name, if known, of every person whose death is investigated, the place where the body was found, the date, cause and manner of death and containing all other relevant information concerning the death and a cop…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-412
(Formerly Sec. 19-536). Records as evidence
The records of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, or transcripts thereof certified by the Chief Medical Examiner or his authorized representative, shall be subject to subpoena and shall be admissible in evidence in any court in the state in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as hospital records a…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-413
(Formerly Sec. 19-537). Exhuming of bodies
If death occurred under circumstances as enumerated in subsection (a) of section 19a-406 and if the body has been buried without proper certification of death, the Chief Medical Examiner or his deputy, upon ascertaining such facts, shall notify the state's attorney of the judicial district in which the body was buried.…
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-414
(Formerly Sec. 19-538). Expenditures
The Chief Medical Examiner is authorized to make reasonable expenditures for services necessary to the performance of his duties.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-415
Development and publication of brochure by Office of Chief Medical Examiner
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shall develop and publish a brochure concerning an explanation of the laws, regulations, procedures and practices of the office and the rights of families of persons whose bodies are in custody of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-415a
Release of biologic material of a deceased person
(a) For purposes of this section: (1) “Biologic material” means blood or other tissue suitable for DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) analysis or testing; and (2) “next of kin” means (A) a spouse; (B) an adult child; (C) a parent; (D) an adult sibling; or (E) a grandparent. (b) Upon receiving the written consent of a deceased…