Oregon Law
Law as of Jan 1, 2026
Chapter contents
146.001[Formerly 146.087; repealed by 1987 c.517 §1 (432.300 enacted in lieu of 146.001)] 146.003Definitions for ORS 146.003 to 146.189 and 146.710 to 146.992 146.005[1959 c.629 §8; 1965 c.221 §14; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.010[Amended by 1959 c.629 §16; renumbered 10.810] 146.015State Medical Examiner Advisory Board; appointment of Chief Medical Examiner; rules 146.020[Renumbered 10.820] 146.025Functions of board 146.030[1959 c.629 §10; 1965 c.221 §15; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.035Chief Medical Examiner; personnel; records; right to examine records 146.040[1959 c.629 §1; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.045Duties of Chief Medical Examiner; persons missing at sea, in wilderness or in forested environment 146.050[1959 c.629 §2; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.055Advice; autopsies; training programs; report 146.060[1959 c.629 §3; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.065Local medical examiners; appointment; Deputy State Medical Examiner 146.070[1959 c.629 §4; 1969 c.314 §8; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.075District office duties; personnel; expenses for certain duties; records and reports 146.080Assistant district medical examiner 146.085Medical-legal death investigators 146.087[1975 c.565 §1; renumbered 146.001] 146.088Officer or employee of public body 146.090Deaths requiring investigation 146.095Investigation; certification; report; training 146.100Where death considered to have occurred; notification of death required 146.102Guidance concerning overdose death communication; notification 146.103Removal of body, effects or weapons prohibited without consent 146.105[1959 c.629 §7; repealed by 1965 c.221 §7] 146.107Authority to enter and secure certain premises; court order 146.109Notification of next of kin 146.110[Amended by 1959 c.629 §34; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.113Authority to order removal of body fluids 146.115[Amended by 1955 c.190 §1; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.117Autopsies 146.120[Amended by 1959 c.629 §35; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.121Disposition of body; filing; expenses 146.125Disposition of personal property 146.130[Amended by 1959 c.629 §36; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.135Authority to order inquest 146.140[Amended by 1959 c.629 §37; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.145Jury of inquest 146.150[Amended by 1959 c.629 §38; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.155Inquest proceedings 146.160[Amended by 1959 c.629 §39; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.165Verdict; findings; testimony and verdict of inquest as admissible evidence in subsequent proceedings 146.170[Amended by 1955 c.161 §1; 1959 c.629 §40; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.171Unidentified human remains; maintenance of records 146.174Medical examiner to provide information about unidentified human remains; identification 146.177Procedures for investigating missing persons 146.180[Repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.181Missing persons; police report; supplementary report 146.184Medical practitioners to provide information about missing persons 146.187DNA sample 146.189Use of records to identify human remains and missing persons; disposition of records 146.190[Amended by 1959 c.629 §41; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.200[Repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.210[Amended by 1959 c.629 §42; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.220[Repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.230[Repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.240[Repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.250[Amended by 1953 c.568 §3; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.260[Amended by 1953 c.568 §3; repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.270[Repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.280[Repealed by 1965 c.221 §27] 146.310[1965 c.221 §2; 1971 c.487 §3; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.315[1971 c.487 §2; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.320[1965 c.221 §5; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.330[1965 c.221 §3; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.340[1965 c.221 §4; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.350[1965 c.221 §6; 1971 c.487 §4; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.360[1965 c.221 §7; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.370[1965 c.221 §8; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.410[1959 c.629 §6; 1965 c.221 §16; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.420[1959 c.629 §9; 1963 c.98 §1; 1965 c.91 §1; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.430[1959 c.629 §11; 1961 c.434 §3; 1965 c.91 §2; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.440[1959 c.629 §12; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.450[1959 c.629 §13; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.460[1959 c.629 §14; repealed by 1965 c.91 §3 (146.461 enacted in lieu of 146.460)] 146.461[1965 c.91 §4 (enacted in lieu of 146.460); repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.470[1959 c.629 §15; 1961 c.434 §4; 1965 c.91 §5; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.480[1959 c.629 §17; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.490[1959 c.629 §18; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.500[1959 c.629 §19; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.505[1983 c.390 §1; renumbered 146.171 in 2007] 146.510[1959 c.629 §20; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.515[1983 c.390 §2; 2007 c.500 §5; renumbered 146.174 in 2007] 146.520[1959 c.629 §21; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.525[1983 c.390 §3; 1989 c.1059 §3; 2007 c.500 §3; renumbered 146.181 in 2007] 146.530[1959 c.629 §22; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.535[1983 c.390 §4; 2007 c.500 §6; renumbered 146.184 in 2007] 146.540[1959 c.629 §23; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.545[1983 c.390 §5; 2007 c.500 §7; renumbered 146.189 in 2007] 146.550[1959 c.629 §24; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.560[1959 c.629 §25; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.565[1961 c.434 §2; 1965 c.91 §6; 1965 c.439 §4; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.570[1959 c.629 §26; 1967 c.632 §1; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.580[1959 c.629 §27; 1961 c.434 §5; 1967 c.632 §2; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.590[1959 c.629 §§28,29; 1961 c.434 §6; 1967 c.632 §3; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.600[1959 c.629 §30; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.610[1959 c.629 §31; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.710Definition for ORS 146.710 to 146.780 146.720[1963 c.621 §§3,4; 1965 c.221 §17; repealed by 1965 c.472 §9] 146.730Investigation 146.740Reports of medical examiner 146.750Injuries to be reported to law enforcement agency 146.760Immunity of participant in making of report 146.770[1965 c.472 §6; 1971 c.451 §14; renumbered 418.775] 146.780Confidentiality of records and reports 146.990[Subsection (1) enacted as 1959 c.629 §45; subsection (3) of 1963 Replacement Part enacted as 1963 c.621 §7; 1965 c.221 §20; 1965 c.472 §8; 1971 c.451 §16; repealed by 1973 c.408 §35] 146.992Penalties

Chapter 146 — Investigations of Deaths, Injuries and Missing Persons

ORS 146.015 State Medical Examiner Advisory Board; appointment of Chief Medical Examiner; rules

(1)

There is hereby established the State Medical Examiner Advisory Board.

(2)

The board shall make policies for the administration of ORS 146.003 to 146.189 and the Department of State Police shall adopt rules to effectuate the policies.

(3)

The board shall recommend the name or names of pathologists to the Superintendent of State Police from which the superintendent shall appoint the Chief Medical Examiner.

(4)

The board consists of 11 members appointed by the Governor who are:

(a)

The Chair of the Department of Pathology of the Oregon Health and Science University, who is the chairperson of the board;

(b)

The State Health Officer;

(c)

A sheriff;

(d)

A trauma physician recommended by the State Trauma Advisory Board;

(e)

A pathologist;

(f)

A district attorney;

(g)

A funeral service practitioner and embalmer licensed by the State Mortuary and Cemetery Board;

(h)

A chief of police;

(i)

A member of the defense bar;

(j)

A member of the public at large; and

(k)

A member of one of the federally recognized Oregon Indian tribes.

(5)

The members described in subsection (4)(a) and (b) of this section may serve as long as they hold their respective positions. The term of office of each member described in subsection (4)(c), (f) and (h) of this section is for four years, except that the position becomes vacant if the member ceases to be a sheriff, district attorney or chief of police, respectively. The terms of office of the other members of the State Medical Examiner Advisory Board are for four years.

(6)

A member of the board is entitled to compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 292.495.

(7)

The board shall meet annually at a time and place determined by the chairperson. The chairperson or any four members of the board may call a special meeting upon not less than one week’s notice to the members of the board.

(8)

Six members of the board constitute a quorum.

Note: The amendments to 146.015 by section 41, chapter 32, Oregon Laws 2024, become operative January 1, 2027. See section 44, chapter 32, Oregon Laws 2024. The text that is operative on and after January 1, 2027, is set forth for the user’s convenience.

146.015. (1) There is hereby established the State Medical Examiner Advisory Board.

(2)

The board shall make policies for the administration of ORS 146.003 to 146.189 and the Department of State Police shall adopt rules to effectuate the policies.

(3)

The board shall recommend the name or names of pathologists to the Superintendent of State Police from which the superintendent shall appoint the Chief Medical Examiner.

(4)

The board consists of 11 members appointed by the Governor who are:

(a)

The Chair of the Department of Pathology of the Oregon Health and Science University, who is the chairperson of the board;

(b)

The State Health Officer;

(c)

A sheriff;

(d)

A trauma physician recommended by the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board;

(e)

A pathologist;

(f)

A district attorney;

(g)

A funeral service practitioner and embalmer licensed by the State Mortuary and Cemetery Board;

(h)

A chief of police;

(i)

A member of the defense bar;

(j)

A member of the public at large; and

(k)

A member of one of the federally recognized Oregon Indian tribes.

(5)

The members described in subsection (4)(a) and (b) of this section may serve as long as they hold their respective positions. The term of office of each member described in subsection (4)(c), (f) and (h) of this section is for four years, except that the position becomes vacant if the member ceases to be a sheriff, district attorney or chief of police, respectively. The terms of office of the other members of the State Medical Examiner Advisory Board are for four years.

(6)

A member of the board is entitled to compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 292.495.

(7)

The board shall meet annually at a time and place determined by the chairperson. The chairperson or any four members of the board may call a special meeting upon not less than one week’s notice to the members of the board.

(8)

Six members of the board constitute a quorum.

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Provenance

Version history

Prior statutory text is not available in the ingested published editions. Consult an earlier official ORS edition or the cited Oregon Laws chapter.