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Preliminary Examinations

Once your loved one is in our care, a doctor or pathologist will examine him or her. This preliminary examination is minimally invasive. Court staff will answer any questions you may have.

A preliminary examination may include one or more of the following procedures:

• a visual examination
• the collection and review of information about the person who has died, including personal and health information
• the taking of bodily fluid such as blood, urine, saliva and mucus—in some cases a small incision may be needed to collect these samples for testing
• the taking of samples from the surface of the body of the person who has died including swabs from wounds and inner cheek, hair samples and samples from under fingernails and from the skin for testing
• imaging of the person who has died such as computed tomography (CT scans), x-rays, ultrasound and photograph
• fingerprints.