The State Medical Examiner’s Office generates several types of reports that may be requested: a preliminary report of findings, an external examination report, and a final report of findings. While the office does not issue a separate toxicology report, toxicology results are incorporated into the final report. Sometimes the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory will generate a separate toxicology report. This report is provided to the SMEO and is also available to county medical examiner investigators and other authorized users (e.g., law enforcement) of a secure website linked with the office’s case management software system. Preliminary reports are issued to the county medical examiner investigator within several days following the completion of the postmortem examination, and contain the information needed to complete the death certificate. Completion of the final autopsy report is not necessary in order to certify a death and file a death certificate. For example, a death certificate containing a “pending” cause and/or manner of death is a valid certification of death, and may be amended at a later date when the cause and/or manner of death is determined.
The above reports comprise the office’s investigation of a case and become legal documents. Reports are provided at no cost to the District Attorney of the jurisdiction in which the event leading to the death occurred, the law enforcement agency investigating the death, and the next-of-kin. County medical examiner investigators may access reports using iResults. All report requests (see FORMS and DATA) must be submitted in writing to our office. Legal next-of-kin are entitled to receive one free copy of the final autopsy report provided they personally request those documents and demonstrate proof of kinship. All other individuals or agencies requesting copies of reports will be billed accordingly. Payment must be included with the request or received before reports will be mailed. Please contact our office for more information.
Send all report requests to:
Office Manager
State Medical Examiner’s Office
215 Allen Stuart Drive
Pearl, MS 39208-6060
Information required in your request:
- Date of request
- Decedent’s full legal name (no initials)
- SMEO Case number, if known
- Date of death
- Date of birth
- County in which the death occurred
Our office does not provide copies of death certificates. The funeral home or crematory handling the disposition of your family member can provide you with copies of the death certificate. Please contact Vital Records if you require a certified copy of a death certificate already filed with the state of Mississippi.