Medical examiner

The medical examiner is an official who is responsible for investigating the cause of a death and overseeing the death certification process. A medical examiner is usually trained in pathology. In the United States they may perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions have the power to initiate inquests. In England and Wales, the medical examiner is mostly responsible for scrutinising the cause of a death where an inquest is not held by a coroner.

In England and Wales (and formerly in Scotland) coroners are judicial officers who have held a number of responsibilities since their inception, but today they are mostly responsible for holding inquests where the cause of a death may not be clear or suspicious. This system was adopted throughout the British Empire, including in the United States. In most of these countries, including parts of the United States, the coroner has retained this role, however parts of the United States may also have a medical examiner, which evolved from coroners during the latter half of the 19th century. The exact responsibilities of a medical examiner varies across jurisdictions, with over 2,000 separate jurisdictions for investigating unnatural deaths.