The State Medical Examiner’s Office produces several types of reports: the Provisional Pathologic Diagnoses (preliminary report of findings), the External Examination, and the Final Pathologic Diagnoses (final report of findings). While the office does not issue a separate Toxicology report, toxicology results are incorporated into the final report. By law, the county medical examiner investigator is responsible for certifying deaths affecting the public interest and signing the death certificate in a timely manner, generally within 5 days of the death (Miss. Code Ann. § 41-61-63(2)(b)). The death certificate is filed with the state by the Mississippi Department of Health Vital Records Office.
