Colorado coroners
Coroner is an elected position in the state of Colorado according to the state's constitution.
Election
Coroners are elected in each county to a four year term.[1]
A person is eligible to hold the office of coroner if the person:
- Is a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state of Colorado and of the county in which the person will hold the office of coroner
- Has earned a high school diploma or its equivalent or a college degree
- Has given a set of fingerprints.
A person who has been convicted of, pleaded guilty or entered a plea of nolo contendere to any felony charge under federal or state law is unqualified for the office of coroner unless pardoned. The results of the criminal history record check performed is confidential, except that the county clerks of court and recorders may disclose whether a person is qualified or unqualified for the office of coroner.[1]
Government roles
The coroner my appoint a deputy responsible for any of his or her powers that he or she chooses to delegate.[1]
If there is no sheriff, the coroner will act as a sheriff.[1]
The coroner may declare an individual dead if he finds the individual has sustained irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory function.[1]
The coroner immediately notifies the district attorney and medically investigates the body for:
- External violence, unexplained cause, or under suspicious circumstances
- Where no physician is in attendance or where, though in attendance, the physician is unable to certify the cause of death
- From thermal, chemical, or radiation injury
- From criminal abortion, including any situation where such abortion may have been self-induced
- From a disease which may be hazardous or contagious or which may constitute a threat to the health of the general public
- While in the custody of law enforcement officials or while incarcerated in a public institution
- When the death was sudden and happened to a person who was in good health
- An industrial accident.
After consultation with the district attorney, the coroner may request that jurisdiction of any such death be transferred to the coroner of the county in which the event which resulted in the death of the person occurred, with the jurisdiction effective upon the acceptance by the receiving coroner. Such transfer shall be in writing, and a copy thereof shall be maintained in the offices of the transferring and receiving coroners.
When a person dies as a result of above circumstances or is found dead and the cause of death is unknown, the person who discovers the death shall report it immediately to law enforcement officials or the coroner, and the coroner shall take legal custody of the body. The body of any such person shall not be removed from the place of death except upon the authority of the coroner in consultation with the district attorney or local law enforcement agency, nor shall any article on or immediately surrounding such body be disturbed until authorized by the coroner in consultation with the district attorney or local law enforcement agency.
- The coroner shall, if he or the district attorney deems it advisable, cause a post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased to be made by a licensed physician to determine the cause of death.
- When the coroner has knowledge that any person has died under any of the above eight circumstances, he or she may summon forthwith six citizens of the county to appear at a place named to hold an inquest to hear testimony and to make such inquiries as he deems appropriate.
- In all cases where the coroner has held an investigation or inquest, the certificate of death shall be issued by the coroner or the coroner's deputy.
- Any certificate of death issued by a coroner or a coroner's deputy shall be filed with the registrar and shall state their findings concerning the nature of the disease or the manner of death, and, if from external causes, the certificate shall state whether in their opinion death was accidental, suicidal, or felonious. In addition, the certificate shall include the information, whenever the subject of the investigation or inquest is under one year of age.
- A copy of the certificate of death or affidavit of presumed death, including any related documents and statements of fact, shall be retained in the applicable county in a secure location in an appropriate county facility accessible only to the county coroner or the coroner's designee and in a manner that is consistent with the county's record retention policy and federal law.
- Nothing in this section shall be construed to require an investigation, autopsy, or inquest in any case where death occurred without medical attendance solely because the deceased was under treatment by prayer or spiritual means alone in accordance with the tenets and practices of a well-recognized church or religious denomination.
- The coroner holding an inquest or investigation pursuant to this section has the authority to request and receive a copy of:
- Any autopsy report or medical information from any pathologist, physician, dentist, hospital, or health care provider or institution if such report or information is relevant to the inquest or investigation; and
- Any information, record, or report related to treatment, consultation, counseling, or therapy services from any licensed psychologist, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, social worker, addiction counselor, or unlicensed psychotherapist if such report, record, or information is relevant to the inquest or investigation.
- The coroner shall, at the request of the district attorney or attorney general, release to the district attorney or attorney general any autopsy report or medical information that the coroner obtains.
- The coroner shall not release to any party any information, record, or report that the coroner obtains.
- Any person who complies with a request from a coroner shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed with respect to the disclosure of confidential patient or client information.[1]
Position overview
The coroner performs autopsies and is responsible for identifying bodies under the jurisdiction of his or her district or county.
Government sector lobbying
Coroners may belong to the Colorado Coroners Association, which is a government sector lobbying organization.
External links
Footnotes
