How long is the coroner entitled to custody of the remains for which he or she is required to investigate?

• A. 24 hours
• B. 48 hours
• C. 72 hours
• D. Until the conclusion of the autopsy

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that a coroner’s custody exists to complete the required investigation of a death, and this custody lasts for the entire autopsy process. The body is held to preserve evidence and allow the autopsy and any related testing to be finished, with custody ending only after the autopsy is concluded and the findings are documented. Fixed time windows like 24, 48, or 72 hours don’t determine custody; it ends when the autopsy is complete. After the autopsy, the remains can be released to the proper parties.