Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title VI Chapter 38
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 38, § 7 (2026)

Attorney general; notice of circumstances of death

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 7. If, during the course of investigation, the medical examiner is of the opinion that the death may have been caused by the act or negligence of another, he shall at once notify the district attorney within whose district the deceased was found or, if such act or negligence has occurred in a different district, the district attorney for such other district. He shall also make available to the district attorney any and all records pertaining to such investigation. He shall in all cases forthwith certify to the city or town clerk or registrar in the place where the deceased died, the name and address, if known, or otherwise a description as full as may be of the deceased, and the cause and manner of death. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, such certification may indicate that the death was caused by auto-immune deficiency syndrome, so-called.

In cases of homicide, after indictment and arraignment, and while the defendant is in custody or subject to the jurisdiction of the court, upon his request, a copy of the official autopsy report and a copy of the inquest report, if any, shall be made available to him by the district attorney in accordance with the provisions of the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1989–2014 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Nardi, 893 N.E.2d 1221 (Mass. 2008).
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Commonwealth v. Nardi, 893 N.E.2d 1221 (Mass. 2008). “See G. L. c. 38, § 7 (“If, during the . . . investigation, the medical examiner is of the opinion that the death may have been caused by the act.”
Hensley v. Roden, 755 F.3d 724 (1st Cir. 2014). “Because the Massachusetts statutory scheme requires (among other things) that if a medical examiner suspects foul play, he or she alert the district attorney and make available any records from the investigation, see Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 38, § 7 , Hensley claims that an objective…”
Commonwealth v. Woodward, 694 N.E.2d 1277 (Mass. 1998). “G. L. c. 38, § 7. We conclude that given these considerations, a defendant should show cause and specific need in a motion for access to a victim’s body.”
Globe Newspaper Co. v. Chief Med. Exam'r, 533 N.E.2d 1356 (Mass. 1989). “40, § 36A), and to a defendant in a capital case on his request (G. L. c. 38, § 7). The Legislature could have rendered autopsy reports made pursuant to G.”
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