About the Medical Examiner's Office

ORG 2023

Staff


The Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office employs a total of 17 full time employees which include one Chief Medical Examiner, two Deputy Medical Examiner, one Medical Examiner Operations Manager, one Morgue Supervisor, three Autopsy Assistants, seven Deputy Medical Investigators, and two Administrative Support Specialist III. 

 

The administrative offices are staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, while investigative staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.


View the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Organizational Chart (PDF) for more information.


Laws Governing the Medical Examiner's Office


Below are the State and Federal Laws governing the Medical Examiner's Office:

Policy and Procedures


Medical Examiner's Policies and Procedures that may be of interest to the public are available on the Policies and Procedures Page.


Service Area and Map


The Spokane Medical Examiner's Office is a regional center for performance of forensic autopsies. All staff members are employed by Spokane County, but Coroners and Prosecutor-Coroners in multiple counties in eastern Washington and the Idaho panhandle send decedents to the Spokane County morgue where autopsies are performed. These counties retain the responsibility for identifying their dead, and signing the death certificate. The Spokane Medical Examiner's Office determines cause of death.


Spokane County charges these surrounding jurisdictions for use of the facility and staff time. This referral work adds approximately 150 to 200 autopsies each year to the facility caseload, and generates approximately $350,000 in revenue for the Spokane County general fund.


View the Medical Examiner's Service Area Map (PDF).