ORS 146.121
Disposition of body

  • filing
  • expenses

(1)

No person shall bury or otherwise dispose of the body of a person whose death required investigation, without having first obtained a burial, cremation or reduction permit, or a report of death completed and signed by a medical examiner.

(2)

When a medical examiner investigates the death of a person whose body is not claimed by a friend or relative within five days of the date of death, the sheriff or, in counties having a population of 400,000 or more, the medical examiner shall dispose of the body according to the provisions of ORS 97.170 (Disposition of unclaimed body of deceased person) to 97.210 (Exceptions to application of ORS 97.170 to 97.200).

(3)

If the medical examiner is unable to dispose of the body of a deceased person according to subsection (2) of this section, the medical examiner may order in writing that the body be either cremated, reduced or plainly and decently buried.

(4)

The sheriff or medical examiner shall file a copy of the report of death, the order for disposition and a verified statement of the expenses of the cremation, reduction or burial with the board of county commissioners. The board of county commissioners shall pay such expenses, or any proportion thereof as may be available, from county funds annually budgeted for this purpose. [1973 c.408 §19; 1995 c.744 §16; 2013 c.366 §68; 2021 c.296 §25]
Note: The amendments to 146.121 (Disposition of body) by section 25, chapter 296, Oregon Laws 2021, become operative July 1, 2022. See section 33, chapter 296, Oregon Laws 2021. The text that is operative until July 1, 2022, is set forth for the user’s convenience.
146.121 (Disposition of body). (1) No person shall bury or otherwise dispose of the body of a person whose death required investigation, without having first obtained a burial or cremation permit, or a report of death completed and signed by a medical examiner.

(2)

When a medical examiner investigates the death of a person whose body is not claimed by a friend or relative within five days of the date of death, the sheriff or, in counties having a population of 400,000 or more, the medical examiner shall dispose of the body according to the provisions of ORS 97.170 (Disposition of unclaimed body of deceased person) to 97.210 (Exceptions to application of ORS 97.170 to 97.200).

(3)

If the medical examiner is unable to dispose of the body of a deceased person according to subsection (2) of this section, the medical examiner may order in writing that the body be either cremated or plainly and decently buried.

(4)

The sheriff or medical examiner shall file a copy of the report of death, the order for disposition and a verified statement of the expenses of the cremation or burial with the board of county commissioners. The board of county commissioners shall pay such expenses, or any proportion thereof as may be available, from county funds annually budgeted for this purpose.

Source: Section 146.121 — Disposition of body; filing; expenses, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors146.­html.

146.003
Definitions for ORS 146.003 to 146.189 and 146.710 to 146.992
146.015
State Medical Examiner Advisory Board
146.025
Functions of board
146.035
Chief Medical Examiner
146.045
Duties of Chief Medical Examiner
146.055
Advice
146.065
Local medical examiners
146.075
District office duties
146.080
Assistant district medical examiner
146.085
Medical-legal death investigators
146.088
Officer or employee of public body
146.090
Deaths requiring investigation
146.095
Investigation
146.100
Where death considered to have occurred
146.103
Removal of body, effects or weapons prohibited without consent
146.107
Authority to enter and secure certain premises
146.109
Notification of next of kin
146.113
Authority to order removal of body fluids
146.117
Autopsies
146.121
Disposition of body
146.125
Disposition of personal property
146.135
Authority to order inquest
146.145
Jury of inquest
146.155
Inquest proceedings
146.165
Verdict
146.171
Unidentified human remains
146.174
Medical examiner to provide information about unidentified human remains
146.177
Procedures for investigating missing persons
146.181
Missing persons
146.184
Medical practitioners to provide information about missing persons
146.187
DNA sample
146.189
Use of records to identify human remains and missing persons
146.710
Definition for ORS 146.710 to 146.780
146.730
Investigation
146.740
Reports of medical examiner
146.750
Injuries to be reported to law enforcement agency
146.760
Immunity of participant in making of report
146.780
Confidentiality of records and reports
146.992
Penalties
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