Section 5-302 – Commission Established

    There is a State Postmortem Examiners Commission in the Department.

Section 5-303 – Membership; Officers

    (a)    The Commission consists of the following 5 members:         (1)    The Baltimore City Commissioner of Health;         (2)    The head of the Pathology Department of the University of Maryland School of Medicine;         (3)    The head of the Pathology Department of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine;         (4)    The Secretary of State Police; and         (5)    A representative of the Department, chosen by the […]

Section 5-304 – Meetings; Compensation

    (a)    The Commission shall determine the times and places of its meetings.     (b)    A member of the Commission may not receive compensation.

Section 5-305 – Staff

    (a)    (1)    The Commission may employ a staff in accordance with the State budget for the operation of the Commission and to maintain accreditation.         (2)    The staff shall include:             (i)    1 chief medical examiner;             (ii)    2 deputy chief medical examiners;             (iii)    Assistant medical examiners;             (iv)    1 chief State toxicologist, 1 deputy chief State toxicologist, lead toxicologists, and assistant toxicologists;             (v)    1 serologist;             (vi)    4 […]

Section 5-306 – Deputy Medical Examiners

    (a)    This section does not apply to Baltimore City.     (b)    (1)    The Commission may appoint one or more deputy medical examiners and forensic investigators for each county.         (2)    The Commission shall appoint a deputy medical examiner for a county from a list of qualified individuals submitted to the Commission by the medical society of the county. The number of […]

Section 5-307 – Rules and Regulations of Commission

    The Commission may adopt rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this subtitle.

Section 5-308 – Limitations on Secretary

    (a)    The power of the Secretary over plans, proposals, and projects of units in the Department does not include the power to disapprove or modify any decision or determination that the Commission makes under authority specifically delegated by law to the Commission.     (b)    The power of the Secretary to transfer by rule, regulation, or written directive, any […]

Section 5-309 – Medical Examiner’s Cases

    (a)    (1)    A medical examiner shall investigate the death of a human being if the death occurs:             (i)    By violence;             (ii)    By suicide;             (iii)    By casualty;             (iv)    Suddenly, if the deceased was in apparent good health or unattended by a physician; or             (v)    In any suspicious or unusual manner.         (2)    A medical examiner shall investigate the death of a human fetus if:             (i)    Regardless […]

Section 5-310 – Autopsies

    (a)    If the cause of death is established to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, the medical examiner who investigates the case shall file in the medical examiner’s office a report on the cause of death within 30 days after notification of the case.     (b)    (1)    If the medical examiner who investigates a medical examiner’s case considers an […]

Section 5-311 – Records

    (a)    (1)    The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shall keep complete records on each medical examiner’s case.         (2)    The records shall be indexed properly and include:             (i)    The name, if known, of the deceased;             (ii)    The place where the body was found;             (iii)    The date, cause, and manner of death; and             (iv)    All other available information about the death.     (b)    The original […]

Section 5-312 – Oaths, Affidavits, and Examinations

    Subject to the limitations in § 5-311(c) of this subtitle, a medical examiner may administer oaths, take affidavits, and make examinations as to any matter within the medical examiner’s jurisdiction.