Title 36 — Title 36 COUNTIES
97 chapters · 1,831 sections in this title.
RCW 36.24.010 To act as sheriff under certain conditions.
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The coroner shall perform the duties of the sheriff in all cases where the sheriff is interested or otherwise incapacitated from serving; and whenever the coroner acts as sheriff he or she shall possess the powers and perform all the duties of sheriff, and shall be liable on his …
RCW 36.24.020 Inquests—Jury—Venue—Payment of costs.
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Any coroner, in his or her discretion, may hold an inquest if the coroner suspects that the death of a person was unnatural, or violent, or resulted from unlawful means, or from suspicious circumstances, or was of such a nature as to indicate the possibility of death by the hand …
RCW 36.24.030 Penalty for nonattendance of juror.
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Every person summoned as a juror who fails to appear without having a reasonable excuse shall forfeit a sum not exceeding twenty dollars, to be recovered by the coroner, in the name of the state, before any district judge of the county. The penalty when collected shall be paid ov…
RCW 36.24.040 Duty of coroner's jury—Oath.
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When four or more of the jurors attend, they shall be sworn by the coroner to inquire who the person was, and when, where, and by what means he or she came to his or her death, and into the circumstances attending his or her death, and to render a true verdict therein, according …
RCW 36.24.050 Power to summon witnesses—Subpoenas.
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The coroner may issue subpoenas for witnesses returnable forthwith or at such time and place as the coroner may appoint, which may be served by any competent person. The coroner must summon and examine as witnesses, on oath administered by the coroner, every person, who, in his o…
RCW 36.24.060 Power to employ physician or surgeon—Compensation.
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The coroner may summon a surgeon or physician to inspect the body and give under oath a professional opinion as to the cause of death. The fees for the coroner's physician or surgeon shall not be less than ten dollars.[ 1963 c 4 s 36.24.060. Prior: (i) 1901 c 131 s 1, part; Code …
RCW 36.24.070 Verdict of jury.
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After hearing the testimony, the jury shall render its verdict and certify the same in writing signed by the jurors, and setting forth who the person killed is, if known, and when, where and by what means he or she came to his or her death; or if he or she was killed, or his or h…
RCW 36.24.080 Testimony reduced to writing in certain cases and witnesses recognized.
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In all cases where murder or manslaughter is supposed to have been committed, the testimony of witnesses taken before the coroner's jury shall be reduced to writing by the coroner, or under his or her direction, and he or she shall also recognize such witnesses to appear and test…
RCW 36.24.090 Procedure where accused is under arrest.
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If the person charged with the commission of the offense has been arrested before the inquisition has been filed, the coroner shall deliver the recognizance and the inquisition, with the testimony taken, to the magistrate before whom such person may be brought, who shall return t…
RCW 36.24.100 Procedure where accused is at large—Delivery of findings to the prosecuting attorney.
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If the jury finds that the person was killed and the party committing the homicide is ascertained by the inquisition, but is not in custody, the coroner must deliver the findings of the jury and all documents, testimony, records generated, possessed, or used during the inquest to…
RCW 36.24.110 Form of warrant.
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Notes:Reviser's note: RCW 36.24.110 was amended by 2016 c 202 s 29 without reference to its repeal by 2016 c 186 s 2. It has been decodified for publication purposes under RCW 1.12.025.
RCW 36.24.130 Property of deceased.
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The coroner or medical examiner must, within thirty days after the investigation of the death, deliver to the county treasurer any money which may be found upon the body, unless claimed in the meantime by the legal representatives of the deceased. If there is personal property, o…
RCW 36.24.140 Duty of treasurer.
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Upon the delivery of money to the treasurer, the treasurer shall place it to the credit of the county.[ 2004 c 79 s 2; 1963 c 4 s 36.24.140. Prior: Code 1881 s 2790; 1863 p 562 s 16; 1854 p 438 s 16; RRS s 4195.]
RCW 36.24.150 Delivery to representatives.
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If the money in the treasury is demanded within six years by the legal representatives of the deceased, the treasurer shall pay it to them after deducting the fees and expenses of the coroner and of the county in relation to the matter, or the same may be so paid at any time ther…
RCW 36.24.155 Undisposed of remains—Entrusting to funeral homes or mortuaries—Indigenous persons remains.
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(1) Whenever anyone shall die within a county without making prior plans for the disposition of his or her body and there is no other person willing to provide for the disposition of the body, the county coroner shall cause such body to be entrusted to a funeral home in the count…
RCW 36.24.160 District judge may act as coroner.
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If the office of coroner is vacant, or the coroner is absent or unable to attend, the duties of the coroner's office may be performed by any district judge in the county with the like authority and subject to the same obligations and penalties as the coroner. For such service a d…
RCW 36.24.170 Coroner not to practice law.
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The coroner shall not appear or practice as attorney in any court, except in defense of himself or herself or his or her deputies.[ 2009 c 549 s 4039; 1963 c 4 s 36.24.170. Prior: 1891 c 45 s 4, part; Code 1881 s 2770, part; 1863 p 558 s 5, part; 1854 p 434 s 5, part; RRS s 4171,…
RCW 36.24.175 Coroner not to be owner or employee of funeral home or mortuary—Counties with populations of forty thousand or more.
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In each county with a population of forty thousand or more, no person shall be qualified for the office of county coroner as provided for in RCW 36.16.030 who is an owner or employee of any funeral home or mortuary.[ 1991 c 363 s 54; 1969 ex.s. c 259 s 3.]Notes:Purpose—Captions n…
RCW 36.24.180 Audit of coroner's account.
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Before auditing and allowing the account of the coroner the board of county commissioners shall require from him or her a verified statement in writing, accounting for all money or other property found upon persons on whom inquests have been held by him or her, and that the money…
RCW 36.24.190 Medical examiner—When authorized—Election—Qualifications for appointment.
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In a county with a population of two hundred fifty thousand or more, the county legislative authority may, upon majority vote at an election called by the county legislative authority, adopt a system under which a medical examiner may be appointed to replace the office of the cor…
RCW 36.24.200 Subpoena for production—Authority.
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In addition to any of its existing authorities, the coroner may, in the course of an active or ongoing death investigation, request that the superior court issue subpoenas for production of documents or other records and command each person to whom the subpoena is directed to pro…
RCW 36.24.205 Medicolegal forensic investigation training required.
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Within 12 months of being elected or appointed to the office, a coroner or medical examiner must have a certificate of completion of medicolegal forensic investigation training that complies with the standards adopted for the medicolegal training academy adopted by the criminal j…
RCW 36.24.210 Accreditation required.
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Except those run by a county prosecutor, all county coroner's offices and medical examiner's offices must be accredited by either the international association of coroners and medical examiners or the national association of medical examiners no later than July 1, 2025, and maint…