Coroners’ Reports

A coroner is a government official responsible for confirming and certifying the death of an individual within a specific jurisdiction, usually at the county level. (This individual is now referred to as a medical examiner in many places.) The coroner is responsible for overseeing examination of a corpse or ordering an inquest into the manner or cause of death. Not all deaths are subjected to a coroner's examination. Only those of an accidental, unusual, questionable, or suspicious nature are usually subject to an investigation. While a death certificate may be issued at the time of death, a coroner's report may supersede the cause of death listed on the certificate, and the death certificate may later be amended.

The government offices in the jurisdiction where the death occurred will hold extant coroner’s reports. The name of the jurisdiction is typically preprinted or filled in on the report. The reports may be indexed chronologically, by report number, or by surname of the deceased; the method of filing will vary from place to place. Some may have been digitized, indexed, and placed online by the government office. Others may be found at FamilySearch.org and at other commercial genealogy websites.

Sample Coroner Report