ORS 146.103
Removal of body, effects or weapons prohibited without consent

(1)

In a death requiring an investigation, no person shall move a human body or body suspected of being human, or remove any of the effects of the deceased or instruments or weapons related to the death without the permission of a medical examiner, medical-legal death investigator or the district attorney.

(2)

No person shall move or remove any of the items specified in subsection (1) of this section if the medical examiner or district attorney objects.

(3)

A medical examiner, district attorney or medical-legal death investigator shall take custody of or exercise control over the body, the effects of the deceased and any weapons, instruments, vehicles, buildings or premises which the medical examiner, district attorney or medical-legal death investigator has reason to believe were involved in the death, in order to preserve evidence relating to the cause and manner of death.

(4)

In a death requiring investigation, no person shall undress, embalm, cleanse the surface of the body or otherwise alter the appearance or the state of the body without the permission of the medical examiner or the district attorney. [1973 c.408 §14; 2017 c.151 §15]

Source: Section 146.103 — Removal of body, effects or weapons prohibited without consent, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors146.­html.

Notes of Decisions

Medical examiner’s right to take charge of body included rolling body over and making observations for later use as basis for search warrant. State v. Blasingame, 127 Or App 382, 873 P2d 361 (1994), Sup Ct review denied

146.003
Definitions for ORS 146.003 to 146.189 and 146.710 to 146.992 146.015
State Medical Examiner Advisory Board 146.025
Functions of board 146.035
Chief Medical Examiner 146.045
Duties of Chief Medical Examiner 146.055
Advice 146.065
Local medical examiners 146.075
District office duties 146.080
Assistant district medical examiner 146.085
Medical-legal death investigators 146.088
Officer or employee of public body 146.090
Deaths requiring investigation 146.095
Investigation 146.100
Where death considered to have occurred 146.103
Removal of body, effects or weapons prohibited without consent 146.107
Authority to enter and secure certain premises 146.109
Notification of next of kin 146.113
Authority to order removal of body fluids 146.117
Autopsies 146.121
Disposition of body 146.125
Disposition of personal property 146.135
Authority to order inquest 146.145
Jury of inquest 146.155
Inquest proceedings 146.165
Verdict 146.171
Unidentified human remains 146.174
Medical examiner to provide information about unidentified human remains 146.177
Procedures for investigating missing persons 146.181
Missing persons 146.184
Medical practitioners to provide information about missing persons 146.187
DNA sample 146.189
Use of records to identify human remains and missing persons 146.710
Definition for ORS 146.710 to 146.780 146.730
Investigation 146.740
Reports of medical examiner 146.750
Injuries to be reported to law enforcement agency 146.760
Immunity of participant in making of report 146.780
Confidentiality of records and reports 146.992
Penalties
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through early 2024

§ 146.103’s source at oregon​.gov