Are Autopsy Reports Public in Oregon? (2026 Guide)

Oregon autopsy reports are not freely open to the general public. State law gives a defined group, including a parent, spouse, sibling, child, personal representative, or anyone who may be criminally or civilly liable for the death, the right to examine and obtain copies from the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner. Broader public-records requests are possible but not guaranteed.

Are Autopsy Reports Public in Oregon?

No, Oregon autopsy reports are not freely available to the general public the way some other states treat them. The autopsy report, the medical examiner report, and laboratory or toxicology test reports are treated as confidential records.

Under ORS 146.035(5), the law specifically lists who may examine and obtain copies of these reports, notwithstanding the general public-records exemption. That list does not include the general public by default.

That said, the records are not categorically sealed. A 2008 case, Colby v. Gunson, briefly held that letting certain people access reports did not by itself exempt them from disclosure to everyone else. The Oregon Legislature responded in 2009 (SB 87) by adding an explicit conditional exemption, now at ORS 192.345, that makes a medical examiner report, autopsy report, or laboratory test report exempt from public disclosure unless the public interest requires disclosure in the particular instance. A third party can still file a public-records request, but it is reviewed against that public-interest standard and is often denied.

For most people, the practical path is straightforward: if you are close family or have a legal stake in the death, you have a clear statutory right to a copy. Everyone else faces a discretionary review.

Who Performs Autopsies in Oregon?

Oregon uses a centralized medical examiner system, not an elected county coroner system. The State Medical Examiner program sits within the Oregon State Police and provides technical supervision over medical examiner offices in each of Oregon's 36 counties.

At the local level, district medical examiners and medicolegal death investigators handle deaths in their jurisdictions. The Chief Medical Examiner and county medical examiners decide when a death needs investigation and whether an autopsy is required.

An autopsy is not performed for every death. Under ORS 146.090, the medical examiner investigates deaths that are apparently homicidal, suicidal, or occurring under suspicious or unknown circumstances.

The same statute covers deaths from drug or chemical toxicity, deaths in jail or police custody, accidental or injury-related deaths, work-related fatalities, and deaths where no physician was in attendance. When one of these deaths requires it, ORS 146.117 lets a medical examiner or district attorney order an autopsy performed by a qualified pathologist.

Who Can Request an Oregon Autopsy Report?

ORS 146.035(5) names the people who have a right to examine and obtain copies of a medical examiner report, autopsy report, or laboratory test report. That group is fairly broad within the circle of family and interested parties.

The statute covers:

• A parent of the deceased
• A spouse of the deceased
• A sibling of the deceased
• A child of the deceased
• The personal representative of the deceased's estate
• Any person who may be criminally liable for the death
• Any person who may be civilly liable for the death
• The authorized representatives of any of the above, such as an attorney
• Oregon's designated protection and advocacy system for individuals with disabilities or mental illness, which ORS 146.035(5)(b) gives access on the terms set out in ORS 192.517

If you fall outside this list, you are not automatically entitled to the report. You can still submit a public-records request to the Medical Examiner Division, but these reports are conditionally exempt under ORS 192.345 and are released to non-listed requesters only when the public interest requires disclosure, so requests are often denied, especially while a case is active.

How to Get an Autopsy or Toxicology Report in Oregon

You request Oregon autopsy and toxicology reports from the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner Division, not from the vital records office. The Medical Examiner Division coordinates the statewide system from its office in Clackamas.

Where and How to Request

Submit the Medical Examiner Records Request Form to the OSP Medical Examiner Division for most deaths, but note that Multnomah County deaths go to the Multnomah County Medical Examiner and Clackamas County deaths go to the Clackamas County Medical Examiner. You will need to identify your relationship to the deceased and provide identification.

• Office: Oregon State Police Medical Examiner Division, 13309 SE 84th Avenue, Suite 100, Clackamas, OR 97015
• Phone: 971-673-8200
• Email: medical.examiner.records@osp.oregon.gov

Family members generally provide a state-issued ID. Insurance companies must submit a signed authorization from the next of kin along with payment, and attorneys provide a representation letter.

Fees and Processing Time

Fees are waived for family members, physicians and hospitals, government and law enforcement agencies, and criminal defense attorneys. A $25 fee is charged to insurance companies, private investigators, and civil or estate attorneys. Third parties acting for someone else must attach an authorization of release from the next of kin.

Once a report is finalized, the office often fulfills requests within about a week. The division retains records for 25 years after the date of death.

The Pending-Case Hold

An autopsy report is not released until it is complete and finalized. Toxicology testing alone can take weeks or months, and reports tied to an open criminal investigation may be held longer.

If a death is under active investigation by police or a district attorney, expect delays even if you are an eligible family member. The cause and manner of death may be listed as pending until the work is done.

Autopsy Report vs Death Certificate in Oregon

An autopsy report and a death certificate are two different documents, and most people actually need the death certificate. The death certificate is the legal record of the death used for estates, insurance, and benefits.

The death certificate includes a cause-of-death and manner-of-death line completed by a physician or medical examiner. It does not include the detailed findings, photographs, or toxicology data contained in an autopsy report.

The autopsy report is the detailed forensic examination explaining how the medical examiner reached the cause and manner of death. You request the death certificate through Oregon Vital Records, but you request the autopsy report through the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner Division. For a full overview of certificates and eligibility, see our Oregon Death Records guide.

Oregon Autopsy Report Facts

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice. Record access rules, fees, and processing times can change. Always confirm current requirements directly with the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner Division before relying on this information.

Sources

This guide is based on Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 146, the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner Division, and the CDC Coroner/Medical Examiner Laws reference. For related coverage see Are Autopsies Public Records? and the Death Records by State hub.