Section 313.12 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) mandates the Coroner to inquire on all unnatural or unexplained deaths within the county.
The Coroner has jurisdiction over the body of a deceased person when the death has occurred "as a result of criminal or other violent means, or by casualty, or by suicide, or suddenly when in apparent health, or in any suspicious or unusual manner".
What types of death are reportable to the Coroner:
- Accidental
- Homicidal
- Suicidal
- Sudden/Unexplained
- Occupational
- Special Circumstance
Not all reported cases fall into the above categories. After the investigation is completed, many will be returned to the jurisdiction or institution where the death certificate will be signed by the attending physician as a natural death.
Only the Coroner can legally sign a death certificate of a person who has died as a direct or indirect result of any cause listed above.
When A Death Is Not A Coroner's Case
If a person expired from natural causes (myocardial infarction, stroke, cancer, pneumonia, etc.) and is under the care of a physician, the physician is permitted to (and in many cases, must) sign the death certificate.
Please consult the Coroner's Office in regard to any death about which you have any question or doubt!