ORS 146.045
Duties of Chief Medical Examiner

  • persons missing at sea, in wilderness or in forested environment

(1)

After consultation with the State Medical Examiner Advisory Board, the Chief Medical Examiner shall appoint each Deputy State Medical Examiner.

(2)

The Chief Medical Examiner shall:

(a)

Appoint and discharge each district medical examiner as provided by ORS 146.065 (Local medical examiners) (2).

(b)

Designate those pathologists authorized to perform autopsies under ORS 146.117 (Autopsies) (2).

(c)

Approve those laboratories authorized to perform the analyses required under ORS 146.113 (Authority to order removal of body fluids) (2).

(3)

The Chief Medical Examiner may:

(a)

Assume control of a death investigation in cooperation with the district attorney.

(b)

Order an autopsy in a death requiring investigation.

(c)

Certify the cause and manner of a death requiring investigation.

(d)

Amend a previously completed report on a death requiring investigation.

(e)

Order a body exhumed in a death requiring investigation.

(f)

Designate a Deputy State Medical Examiner as Acting Chief Medical Examiner.

(g)

After a reasonable and thorough investigation, complete and file a report of death for a person whose body is not found.

(4)

Distribution of moneys from the Chief Medical Examiner’s budget for partial reimbursement of each county’s autopsy expenditures shall be made subject to approval of the Chief Medical Examiner.

(5)

Within 45 days of receipt of information that a person is missing at sea and presumed dead, the Chief Medical Examiner shall determine whether the information is credible and, if so, complete and file a report of death for the person presumed dead. If the information is determined not to be credible, the Chief Medical Examiner may continue the death investigation.

(6)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

If the Search and Rescue Coordinator and a county sheriff investigate a person missing in the wilderness or a forested environment and determine that the person is believed to be deceased, the sheriff shall send documentation of the investigation and determination to the Chief Medical Examiner.

(b)

Within seven days after receiving documentation under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the Chief Medical Examiner shall evaluate the credibility of the investigation and the determination that the person is believed to be deceased.

(c)

If the Chief Medical Examiner, based on the evaluation under paragraph (b) of this subsection and the Chief Medical Examiner’s field of expertise, determines that there is no reasonable suspicion that the person is not deceased, the Chief Medical Examiner shall complete and file a report of death for the person believed to be deceased within 45 days after making the determination.

(d)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(A)

If the Chief Medical Examiner, based on the evaluation under paragraph (b) of this subsection and the Chief Medical Examiner’s field of expertise, determines that there is a reasonable suspicion that the person is not deceased, the Chief Medical Examiner shall report to the sheriff with the basis for the determination and a list of any missing information that would aid the Chief Medical Examiner in evaluating the credibility of the investigation and the determination that the person is believed to be deceased.

(B)

Upon receiving a report under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the sheriff shall make a reasonable effort to provide the missing information listed by the Chief Medical Examiner.

(C)

After issuing a report under this paragraph, the Chief Medical Examiner shall continue the death investigation in conjunction with the sheriff and the Search and Rescue Coordinator until the sheriff issues a final report on the missing person. If, at any time, the Chief Medical Examiner determines, based on the Chief Medical Examiner’s field of expertise, that there is no reasonable suspicion that the person is not deceased, the Chief Medical Examiner shall complete and file a report of death for the person believed to be deceased within 45 days after making the determination. [1973 c.408 §5; 2005 c.90 §1; 2013 c.366 §66; 2017 c.151 §7; 2019 c.435 §1]

Source: Section 146.045 — Duties of Chief Medical Examiner; persons missing at sea, in wilderness or in forested environment, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors146.­html.

146.003
Definitions for ORS 146.003 to 146.189 and 146.710 to 146.992
146.015
State Medical Examiner Advisory Board
146.025
Functions of board
146.035
Chief Medical Examiner
146.045
Duties of Chief Medical Examiner
146.055
Advice
146.065
Local medical examiners
146.075
District office duties
146.080
Assistant district medical examiner
146.085
Medical-legal death investigators
146.088
Officer or employee of public body
146.090
Deaths requiring investigation
146.095
Investigation
146.100
Where death considered to have occurred
146.103
Removal of body, effects or weapons prohibited without consent
146.107
Authority to enter and secure certain premises
146.109
Notification of next of kin
146.113
Authority to order removal of body fluids
146.117
Autopsies
146.121
Disposition of body
146.125
Disposition of personal property
146.135
Authority to order inquest
146.145
Jury of inquest
146.155
Inquest proceedings
146.165
Verdict
146.171
Unidentified human remains
146.174
Medical examiner to provide information about unidentified human remains
146.177
Procedures for investigating missing persons
146.181
Missing persons
146.184
Medical practitioners to provide information about missing persons
146.187
DNA sample
146.189
Use of records to identify human remains and missing persons
146.710
Definition for ORS 146.710 to 146.780
146.730
Investigation
146.740
Reports of medical examiner
146.750
Injuries to be reported to law enforcement agency
146.760
Immunity of participant in making of report
146.780
Confidentiality of records and reports
146.992
Penalties
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