• About
  • Blog
  • Forensic Disciplines
    • Foundations of Forensics
    • Arson
    • Bite Mark
    • Blood & Bodily Fluids
    • Child Abuse Allegations
    • Crime Scene Investigation
    • Death Investigation
    • Detection Dogs
    • Digital Evidence
    • DNA
    • Drug Analysis
    • Drug Recognition Experts
    • Eyewitness ID
    • Fingerprints
    • Firearms
    • Forensic/Sexual Assault Exams
    • Measurement Uncertainty
    • Mental Health
    • Toxicology
    • Trace Evidence
  • Resources
    • Forensic Consultations
    • Books
    • Cases
    • Featured Articles
    • Legislation
    • Motions and Briefs
      • Discovery Motions
      • Funding for Experts
      • Motions for Appropriate Relief
      • Motions to Exclude Expert Testimony
      • Motions for Independent Testing
      • Motions to Preserve Evidence
      • Motions to Suppress
      • Analyst Certification Motions
    • Reports & Publications
    • Trainings
    • Websites
    • Forensic Terminology
    • Online Research Tools
  • Crime Labs
    • General Information
    • NC State Crime Lab Procedures
    • Charlotte Mecklenburg Crime Lab
    • CCBI Lab Procedures
    • NC OCME Toxicology Lab
    • Pitt Co. Sheriff’s Forensic Services
    • Sec. of State Digital Forensic Lab
    • Wilmington Police Dept Crime Lab
    • Private and Out-of-State Labs
  • News Articles
  • Experts
    • Browse All Experts
    • Working with Experts
    • Expert Services Project
    • Add or Update Expert Records
    • Find a Private Investigator
  • Subscribe
  • Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Forensic Resources

North Carolina Office of Indigent Defense Services

Header Right

MENUMENU
  • About
  • Blog
  • Forensic Disciplines
        • Foundations of Forensics
        • Arson
        • Bite Mark
        • Blood & Bodily Fluids
        • Child Abuse Allegations
        • Crime Scene Investigation
        • Death Investigation
        • Detection Dogs
        • Digital Evidence
        • DNA
        • Drug Analysis
        • Drug Recognition Experts
        • Eyewitness ID
        • Fingerprints
        • Firearms
        • Forensic/Sexual Assault Exams
        • Measurement Uncertainty
        • Mental Health
        • Toxicology
        • Trace Evidence
  • Resources
        • Forensic Consultations
        • Books
        • Cases
        • Featured Articles
        • Legislation
        • Reports & Publications
        • Trainings
        • Websites
        • Forensic Terminology
        • Online Research Tools
        • Motions and Briefs
          • Discovery Motions
          • Funding for Experts
          • Motions for Appropriate Relief
          • Motions to Exclude Expert Testimony
          • Motions for Independent Testing
          • Motions to Preserve Evidence
          • Motions to Suppress
          • Analyst Certification Motions
  • Crime Labs
    • General Information
    • NC State Crime Lab Procedures
    • Charlotte Mecklenburg Crime Lab
    • CCBI Lab Procedures
    • NC OCME Toxicology Lab
    • Pitt Co. Sheriff’s Forensic Services
    • Sec. of State Digital Forensic Lab
    • Wilmington Police Dept Crime Lab
    • Private and Out-of-State Labs
  • News Articles
  • Experts
    • Browse All Experts
    • Working with Experts
    • Expert Services Project
    • Add or Update Expert Records
    • Find a Private Investigator
  • Subscribe
You are here: Home / Practice Tips / Cost and procedures for accessing autopsy information

Cost and procedures for accessing autopsy information

January 13, 2022 //  by Carly Amatuzzo//  Leave a Comment

Some common questions come up in homicide cases when a defense attorney needs to access information from the OCME and regional autopsy centers and speak with the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy in the case. This post addresses some of these questions using information obtained from the four offices that perform autopsies for North Carolina forensic cases (Raleigh OCME, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office, and East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, Division of Autopsy and Forensic Services).

Is there a charge for a defense attorney to consult with the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy?

To speak to the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on the decedent in the case,

  • There is no charge at the Raleigh OCME or Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center to consult with attorneys regarding autopsies performed in these centers.
  • Standard AOC rates apply at Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office or East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, Division of Autopsy and Forensic Services.
  • If the forensic pathologist is retired or separated from one of these offices, contact the expert to discuss their rates.

Attorneys should reach out to the forensic pathologist to schedule an appointment and verify whether the funding authorization is needed.

  • For potentially capital cases, funding should be sought using the IDS-028 form.
  • For non-capital cases, funding should be sought using the AOC-G-309 form.
  • For more information about these forms, navigate the ‘Experts’ tab on the IDS forensic website.

What materials are typically provided through discovery?

Investigative reports, autopsy reports, and toxicology reports are provided routinely to the District Attorney’s office and should be provided to the defense through discovery. All three of these forms can also be requested by defense counsel from the OCME website (https://www.ocme.dhhs.nc.gov/docrequest.asp).

Autopsy photos are received from the prosecution through discovery, not from the ME’s office.

Additional items, such as handwritten notes, case calls, emails or other case correspondence, x-rays, etc., are not part of the standard items provided to the DA’s office. If the prosecution requests any of these additional items, they would then be provided to the defense through discovery.

Third-party records that are provided to the ME’s office for review are not provided without a court order.

For more information about what additional records may be available, visit https://forensicresources.org/2020/what-records-are-available-in-a-death-investigation-case/.

Category: Experts, Practice TipsForensic Discipline: Death Investigation

Previous Post: « Legal Professionals Complete 2021 IDS Forensic Science Education Series
Next Post: Whiskey in the Courtroom 8: Evolving Trends in Forensic Science – Firearms Evidence »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Site Footer

The Forensic Resource Counsel provides assistance to North Carolina attorneys litigating scientific evidence issues.
Information provided on this website is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
Copyright © 2023 · Office of Indigent Defense Services · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design

Copyright © 2023 Forensic Resources · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme