Are Autopsy Reports Public in Alaska? (2026 Guide)

No, autopsy reports are not public records in Alaska. The medical examiner's investigative report is confidential by statute and is released only to the next of kin, a person with a financial or personal interest in the estate, or public officials, and generally only after the case is closed.

Are Autopsy Reports Public in Alaska?

No. Autopsy and death-investigation reports are not public records in Alaska. Under Alaska Statutes 12.65.020, the medical examiner's investigative report is a privileged and confidential document and is not subject to disclosure under the state public records law (AS 40.25).

This is different from many states where autopsy reports are open to anyone. In Alaska, access is limited to a defined group of people rather than the general public.

The statute does allow disclosure to public officers and employees for a public purpose. It also permits release to a person who is related to the deceased or who has a financial or personal interest in the estate, as long as disclosure will not interfere with an ongoing investigation or prosecution.

For background on how states treat these records nationally, see Are Autopsies Public Records?.

Who Performs Autopsies in Alaska?

Alaska uses a centralized statewide Medical Examiner system, not a county-by-county coroner system. The State Medical Examiner Office sits within the Alaska Department of Health and is led by the State Medical Examiner, who is appointed by the commissioner of health along with a deputy medical examiner (AS 12.65.015). The State Medical Examiner may in turn appoint local, regional, and district medical examiners around the state through contracts for services.

The medical examiner must be notified of certain deaths under AS 12.65.005. These include deaths caused by unknown or criminal means, deaths during the commission of a crime, and deaths from suicide, accident, or poisoning.

Reportable deaths also include those occurring under suspicious or unusual circumstances, sudden deaths of people in apparent good health, deaths without an attending physician, and deaths in custody or in a state facility. Most deaths of children under 18 must also be reported.

Once a death is reported, the medical examiner conducts a death investigation under AS 12.65.020. The examiner may perform a postmortem examination or a full autopsy, order toxicology testing, and take other steps needed to determine the cause and manner of death. Not every reported death results in a full autopsy; the examiner decides based on the circumstances.

Who Can Request an Alaska Autopsy Report?

Access is restricted to a specific group, not the general public. The State Medical Examiner Office releases autopsy reports to the next of kin upon written request.

The governing statute also allows release to a person who is related to the deceased or who has a financial or personal interest in the estate, provided that disclosure does not interfere with an active investigation or prosecution. Law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public officials may also receive records for an official purpose.

A member of the general public with no family relationship or estate interest generally cannot obtain an Alaska autopsy report.

How to Get an Autopsy or Toxicology Report in Alaska

Requests are made in writing to the State Medical Examiner Office. The office provides a Document Request form on its web page, and you can also call to have the form faxed or mailed to you.

Submit the completed Document Request form along with a legible copy of your photo identification. The same request process covers the autopsy report and any associated toxicology results.

Reports are released as soon as the case is closed. The State Medical Examiner Office notes that this usually takes a few days to a few weeks, though complicated cases or cases needing additional testing can take longer.

Expect a pending-case hold. While an investigation is open, or where release could interfere with a prosecution, the report is withheld until the case is closed. The State Medical Examiner Office does not post a standard report fee; confirm any copy charge when you submit your request.

Contact the State Medical Examiner Office

• Phone: 907-334-2200
• Email: doh.smeo.info@alaska.gov
• Office: Alaska Department of Health, State Medical Examiner Office

Autopsy Report vs Death Certificate in Alaska

These are two different documents. The death certificate is a vital record that lists basic facts of death, including a short cause-of-death line, and it is handled by the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics.

The autopsy report is a detailed medical document prepared by the medical examiner. It describes the examination findings, toxicology results, and the reasoning behind the cause and manner of death.

The death certificate is available to qualified applicants under the vital records rules. The autopsy report is confidential under AS 12.65.020 and released only to the limited group described above. For ordering the certificate and other state records, start at Alaska Death Records.

Alaska Autopsy Report Facts

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Records rules and procedures change. Verify current requirements with the Alaska State Medical Examiner Office before relying on this information.

Sources

This page is based on the Alaska State Medical Examiner Office, Alaska Statutes Title 12 Chapter 65, and the CDC summary of Alaska coroner and medical examiner laws.

Up to Alaska Death Records and the hub Death Records by State.