What to know
A medicolegal investigation is conducted by a coroner’s or a medical examiner’s office to determine how someone died. Each state sets its own standards for what kinds of deaths require investigation. Learn more about Rhode Island rules and regulations on this page.
Medicolegal Death Investigation System
Is medical death investigation system centralized, county-based, or district-based?
Centralized. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-2.
If centralized, in which department or agency is the system housed?
Department of Health. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-2.
Does the state system have a coroner, medical examiner, or coroners and medical examiners?
Medical examiner. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-2.
"In practice" notes?
None.
Is there a state medical examiner?
Yes. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-5.
If so, what is the state medical examiner's role?
The office of state medical examiners shall be responsible for:
(1) The investigation of deaths within the state that in its judgment might reasonably be expected to involve causes of death enumerated in this chapter;
(2) For the conduct of inquests when requested by the attorney general;
(3) For the performance of autopsies, including the retention, examination and appropriate disposal of tissue, when appropriate, for deaths which in its judgment might reasonably be expected to involve causes of deaths enumerated in this chapter;
(4) For the written determination of the causes of death investigated pursuant to this chapter;
(5) For the presentation to the courts of Rhode Island of expert testimony relating to the cause of death;
(6) For the keeping of complete records, including names, places, circumstances, and causes of deaths, of deaths investigated and reported, copies of which shall be delivered to the attorney general and of which written determinations of causes of death shall be made available for public inspection;
(7) For the burial of bodies for which there is no other existing legal responsibility to do so; and
(8) For the development and enforcement of procedures for the pronouncement of death and for the transplantation of organs from bodies of persons who have died within the state.
(9) For a multi-disciplinary team review of child fatalities with the goal to decrease the prevalence of preventable child deaths and report recommendations for community and systems intervention strategies. A child death review team shall include, but is not limited to, representation from state agencies, health care, child welfare, and law enforcement.
R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-3.
In what department or agency is the state medical examiner's office located?
Department of Health. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-2.
Are there deputies?
[T]he deputy chief medical examiner [shall be appointed by the director of health] with the advice of the medical examiner's commission . . . The chief medical examiner shall appoint, with the approval of the director of health, assistant medical examiners . . . R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-5.
If so, what are the deputies' roles?
Deputy chief medical examiner: unspecified.
Assistant medical examiner: to assist the office of state medical examiners on a part-time basis.
R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-1.
What are the qualifications for deputies?
Assistant medical examiner: duly licensed doctor of medicine or osteopathy. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-1.
Qualifications, Term of Office, and Training
Is the coroner or medical examiner position elected?
No. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-5.
If so, how many years is the term of office?
Not applicable.
What are the qualifications specified by law?
[S]hall be a physician licensed under the provisions of chapter 37 of title 5 and a qualified pathologist, certified by the American Board of Pathology and who has had forensic training or experience. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-5.
[T]he state medical examiners commission . . . shall conduct a training course for newly appointed and qualified members within six (6) months of their qualification or designation. R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-6.
Investigations/Autopsies
What types of deaths are required to be investigated?
The office of state medical examiners shall be responsible for:
(1) The investigation of deaths within the state that in its judgment might reasonably be expected to involve causes of death enumerated in this chapter . . .
R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-3.
The office of state medical examiners shall have the authority to make postmortem examinations, to undertake inquests, and to perform autopsies where there may be in its judgment a reasonable belief that the manner of death could be pronounced as:
(1) Death by a homicide, suicide, or casualty;
(2) Death due to a criminal abortion;
(3) Death due to an accident involving lack of due care on the part of a person other than the deceased;
(4) Death which is the immediate or remote consequences of any physical or toxic injury incurred while the deceased person was employed;
(5) Death due to the use of addictive or unidentifiable chemical agents; or
(6) Death due to an infectious agent capable of spreading an epidemic within the state.
R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-4.
What types of deaths are required to be autopsied?
The office of state medical examiners shall be responsible for:
[T]he performance of autopsies, including the retention, examination and appropriate disposal of tissue, when appropriate, for deaths which in its judgment might reasonably be expected to involve causes of deaths enumerated in this chapter . . . R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-3
[O]ffice of state medical examiners shall have the authority to make postmortem examinations, to undertake inquests, and to perform autopsies where there may be in its judgment a reasonable belief that the manner of death could be pronounced as:
(1) Death by a homicide, suicide, or casualty;
(2) Death due to a criminal abortion;
(3) Death due to an accident involving lack of due care on the part of a person other than the deceased;
(4) Death which is the immediate or remote consequences of any physical or toxic injury incurred while the deceased person was employed;
(5) Death due to the use of addictive or unidentifiable chemical agents; or
(6) Death due to an infectious agent capable of spreading an epidemic within the state.
R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 23-4-4.
Does the state require that pathologists perform the autopsies?
No.