COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINERS
Act 181 of 1953
52.202 Investigation by county medical examiner as to cause and manner of death; prisoners; medical records, papers, or documents; exemption from disclosure; definitions.
Sec. 2.
(1) A county medical examiner or deputy county medical examiner shall investigate the cause and manner of death of an individual under each of the following circumstances:
(a) The individual dies by violence.
(b) The individual's death is unexpected.
(c) The individual dies without medical attendance by a physician within the 1 year immediately preceding the time of death, or the individual dies while under home hospice care without medical attendance by a physician or a registered nurse within the 48 hours immediately preceding the time of death, unless the attending physician or a physician acting as the authorized representative of the attending physician, if any, is able to determine accurately the cause of death.
(d) The individual dies as the result of an abortion, whether self-induced or otherwise.
(2) If a prisoner in a county or city jail dies while imprisoned, the county medical examiner or deputy county medical examiner, upon being notified of the death of the prisoner, shall examine the body of the deceased prisoner.
(3) In conducting an investigation under subsection (1) or (2), a county medical examiner or deputy county medical examiner may request the circuit court to issue a subpoena to produce medical records, books, papers, documents, or other items related to the death being investigated. The circuit court may punish a failure to obey a subpoena issued under this section as contempt of court.
(4) Medical records, books, papers, documents, or other items that a county medical examiner or deputy county medical examiner obtains in conducting an investigation under this act, whether in response to a subpoena or otherwise, are exempt from disclosure under the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.
(5) As used in this act:
(a) "Home hospice care" means a program of planned and continuous hospice care provided by a hospice or a hospice residence that consists of a coordinated set of services rendered to an individual at the individual's home on a continuous basis for a disease or condition with a terminal prognosis.
(b) "Physician" means an individual licensed as a physician under part 170 or part 175 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17001 to 333.17097 and 333.17501 to 333.17556.
(c) "Registered nurse" means an individual licensed as a registered professional nurse under part 172 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17201 to 333.17242.
History: 1953, Act 181, Eff. Jan. 1, 1954 ;-- Am. 1969, Act 92, Imd. Eff. July 24, 1969 ;-- Am. 2001, Act 26, Imd. Eff. June 22, 2001 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 153, Imd. Eff. June 15, 2004 ;-- Am. 2012, Act 171, Imd. Eff. June 19, 2012 ;-- Am. 2026, Act 4, Imd. Eff. Mar. 17, 2026
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
21
cases (
4 in the last 5 years), 1977–2024 · leading case:
Maiden v. Rozwood, 597 N.W.2d 817 (Mich. 1999).
Maiden v. Rozwood, 597 N.W.2d 817 (Mich. 1999).
· cites it 2× “MCL 52.202; MSA 5.953(2). Further, a medical examiner "may be required to testify in behalf of the state in any matter arising as the result of any investigation required under this act, and shall testify in behalf of the state .”
People v. Unger, 749 N.W.2d 272 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008).
“, MCL 52.202(1) (stating that “[a] county medical examiner or deputy county medical examiner shall investigate the *252 cause and manner of death") (emphasis added); see also MCL 52.”
Swickard v. Wayne Cnty. Med. Exam'r, 475 N.W.2d 304 (Mich. 1991).
· cites it 4× “NOTES [1] The autopsy was performed under the authority of MCL 52.202; MSA 5.953(2), which requires the medical examiner to investigate the cause of death of persons who die violently, unexpectedly, or without medical attention during the forty-eight hours prior to death.”
Ligons v. Crittenton Hosp., 803 N.W.2d 271 (Mich. 2011).
· cites it 2× “258(12)(b), MCL 52.202(1), and MCL 52.205. Our courts have consistently interpreted the word “manner” as used in relation to those statutes as allowing for a single word description such as “homicide,” “suicide,” or “accident.”
People v. Nunley, 819 N.W.2d 8 (Mich. Ct. App. 2011).
· cites it 2× “We also noted that a medical examiner is required by statute to investigate the cause and manner of death of an individual under certain circumstances, including death by violence, MCL 52.202(1)(a), and thus further concluded that the admission of the autopsy report through [a…”
People v. Yost, 749 N.W.2d 753 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008).
“In this regard, Virani testified that he was unaware of any cases where a forensic pathologist classified the death of a child of Monique’s age as suicide.”
People v. Dendel, 797 N.W.2d 645 (Mich. Ct. App. 2010).
· cites it 2× “Justice Scalia, joined by Justices Stevens, Souter, Thomas, and Ginsburg.”
Allinger v. Kell, 302 N.W.2d 576 (Mich. Ct. App. 1981).
· cites it 4× “MCL 52.202; MSA 5.953(2). In addition, MCL 52.”
People v. Lewis (On Remand), 788 N.W.2d 461 (Mich. Ct. App. 2010).
· cites it 2× “Lewis , unpub op at 4-5; MRE 803(8); MCL 52.202(1)(a). As we stated in our previous opinion: [W]hile it was conceivable that the autopsy report would become part of [a] criminal prosecution, investigations by medical examiners are required by Michigan statute under certain…”
Burse v. Wayne Cnty. Med. Exam'r, 391 N.W.2d 479 (Mich. Ct. App. 1986).
· cites it 2× “” MCL 52.202; MSA 5.953(2). See also Allinger v Kell, 102 Mich App 798, 811 ; 302 NW2d 576 (1981), modified on other grounds 411 Mich 1053 (1981).”
Reno v. Chung, 559 N.W.2d 308 (Mich. Ct. App. 1997).
· cites it 2× “§ 52.202; M.S.A. § 5.953(2), by performing the autopsy and "carefully reduc[ing] .”
Hadix v. Caruso, 465 F. Supp. 2d 776 (W.D. Mich. 2006).
· cites it 2× “See Mich. Comp. Laws § 52.202 . Other physicians are required to alert the Medical Examiner when the physicians believe that an “unexpected death” or other statutory circumstance warrants investigation.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 52.202(1) — 7 cases
People v. Unger, 749 N.W.2d 272 (Mich. Ct. App. 2008).
“, MCL 52.202(1) (stating that “[a] county medical examiner or deputy county medical examiner shall investigate the *252 cause and manner of death") (emphasis added); see also MCL 52.”
Ligons v. Crittenton Hosp., 803 N.W.2d 271 (Mich. 2011).
“258(12)(b), MCL 52.202(1), and MCL 52.205. Our courts have consistently interpreted the word “manner” as used in relation to those statutes as allowing for a single word description such as “homicide,” “suicide,” or “accident.”
People v. Dendel, 797 N.W.2d 645 (Mich. Ct. App. 2010).
“Justice Scalia, joined by Justices Stevens, Souter, Thomas, and Ginsburg.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 52.202(1)(a) — 3 cases
People v. Nunley, 819 N.W.2d 8 (Mich. Ct. App. 2011).
“We also noted that a medical examiner is required by statute to investigate the cause and manner of death of an individual under certain circumstances, including death by violence, MCL 52.202(1)(a), and thus further concluded that the admission of the autopsy report through [a…”
People v. Dendel, 797 N.W.2d 645 (Mich. Ct. App. 2010).
“Justice Scalia, joined by Justices Stevens, Souter, Thomas, and Ginsburg.”
People v. Lewis (On Remand), 788 N.W.2d 461 (Mich. Ct. App. 2010).
“Lewis , unpub op at 4-5; MRE 803(8); MCL 52.202(1)(a). As we stated in our previous opinion: [W]hile it was conceivable that the autopsy report would become part of [a] criminal prosecution, investigations by medical examiners are required by Michigan statute under certain…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 52.202(1)(b) — 1 case
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 52.202(l)(a) — 1 case
People v. Lewis (On Remand), 788 N.W.2d 461 (Mich. Ct. App. 2010).
“Lewis , unpub op at 4-5; MRE 803(8); MCL 52.202(1)(a). As we stated in our previous opinion: [W]hile it was conceivable that the autopsy report would become part of [a] criminal prosecution, investigations by medical examiners are required by Michigan statute under certain…”
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