California Government Code

§ 27522

GOV § 27522 Effective Jan 1, 2026Div. 2 · Title 3 · Part 3 · Ch. 10 · Art. 2.5

Statute text

(a)A forensic autopsy shall only be conducted by a licensed physician and surgeon. The results of a forensic autopsy shall only be determined by a licensed physician and surgeon.

(b)A forensic autopsy shall be defined as an examination of a body of a decedent to generate medical evidence for which the cause of death is determined. At the direction and supervision of a coroner, a medical examiner, or a licensed physician and surgeon, trained county personnel who are necessary to the performance of an autopsy may take body measurements or retrieve blood, urine, or vitreous samples from the body of a decedent.

(c)For purposes of this section, a postmortem examination shall be defined as the external examination of the body where no manner or cause of death is determined.

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Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 389, Sec. 2. (AB 1108) Effective January 1, 2026.