Coroner

The office of the coroner serves the living by working on behalf of the deceased to obtain the truth about the circumstances of their death through the following mission:

• To accurately determine the manner and the cause of death of individuals that die within Blount County; through a fair, ethical, and competent investigation of the death; performed by qualified and trained individuals, in accordance with the accepted medical-legal death investigation professional standards; ensuring the integrity of the investigation.
• To assist the bereaved in the loss of a loved one.
• To earn and hold the trust and respect of the citizens that I am privileged and honored to serve.

As a constitutional officer of the state, the coroner is separate and independent of the county commission and all other local government agencies, but is funded by the Blount County Commission.

How to Obtain Copies

Medical Examiner Reports

In cases where the cause and manner of death are not determined at the time of the autopsy (in other words, pending further investigation), copies of the autopsy, investigative and toxicology reports will usually be available a few weeks after the cause of death is determined and a death certificate is filed. This can be as long as 90 days after the death, but it is usually sooner.

In cases where the cause and manner of death are certified at the time of the autopsy, the autopsy, investigative, and toxicology reports can take several weeks to complete (generally between 4 and 8 weeks, but it may take longer).

Reports are released only after all the reports (autopsy, investigative, and toxicology) and the death certificate have been completed. We do not prepare preliminary reports.

If you desire these reports, please write, email, or call this office with your request. If emailing your request, please provide your relationship to the decedent, your return address (if requesting hard copies), and your phone number in case we have questions.

Unsigned copies of reports can be provided via e-mail at no charge. Hard (signed) copies of reports are provided at a rate of $15.00 per report, plus the cost of postage. There is no charge for the first copy provided to the legal next-of-kin.

If you have questions after receiving your report, please contact the coroner’s office.

Death Certificates

Although we fill out information on the death certificate, our office does not provide copies of the death certificate.

You may request certified copies of the death certificate from the Blount County Health Department . Their phone number is (205) 274-2120. However, before contacting the Health Department, contact your mortuary. Many mortuaries provide copies of the death certificate when it is ready. Be sure to check if the mortuary you are working with provides this service.