Are Autopsy Reports Public in Alabama? (2026 Guide)

Yes. In Alabama, autopsy and toxicology reports produced by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS) are public records, open to inspection under state law. The legal next of kin receives the first copy free, while others pay a fee, and ADFS may delay release while a death investigation is still open.

Are Autopsy Reports Public in Alabama?

Yes. Autopsy and toxicology reports created by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences are public records. Under Ala. Code Section 36-18-2, reproductions of the agency's investigation reports are public records and are open to public inspection at all reasonable times.

That makes Alabama more open than many states, where autopsy files are restricted to family. Any person may request a copy, though a fee applies to anyone other than the legal next of kin.

Openness is not absolute. When a death is part of an active criminal investigation, the report may be withheld until the case is closed, because releasing it could compromise law enforcement or a prosecution.

For the broader national picture, see our overview of whether autopsies are public records.

Who Performs Autopsies in Alabama?

Alabama uses a county-based coroner system, not a single statewide medical examiner. Most counties elect a coroner, while a small number, including Bibb, Escambia, and Jefferson, have abolished the coroner office and created a medical examiner instead, per the CDC Public Health Law Program.

The coroner or medical examiner investigates sudden, violent, unexpected, or unexplained deaths. This includes deaths from trauma, suspected criminal violence or neglect, or any death where there is no physician and no adequate medical history to explain it.

Not every death investigation leads to an autopsy. Under Ala. Code Section 15-4-2, when an external examination is inconclusive and there is reason to believe the death was unlawful, an autopsy may be ordered.

The actual forensic autopsy is usually performed by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, the state agency that produces the autopsy and toxicology reports families later request.

Who Can Request an Alabama Autopsy Report?

Because these are public records, any member of the public may request an ADFS autopsy or toxicology report. Family, attorneys, insurers, researchers, and journalists can all ask for a copy.

The legal next of kin holds a special position. Next of kin receive the first copy of the report at no charge, and they are typically the people the agency keeps updated during the investigation.

Everyone else, and next of kin who need additional copies, pays the standard reproduction fee. Identifying your relationship to the decedent on the request helps ADFS apply the correct fee and route the records.

How to Get an Autopsy or Toxicology Report in Alabama

Requests go to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, headquartered at 1051 Wire Road, Auburn, AL 36832, reachable at (334) 821-6254. ADFS handles statewide forensic autopsy and toxicology reporting.

You can submit a request several ways. The simplest is the online Request for Certified Copy form on the ADFS website. You may also request by email, mail, or phone.

When you request, include your relationship to the decedent, a return mailing address if you want hard copies, and a phone number in case the office has questions. Providing the decedent's full name and date of death speeds matching.

A certified copy of a case report costs $20 per report. The autopsy itself is a free service provided to Alabama citizens.

Expect a wait. A report is generated only after the autopsy, toxicology testing, and final review are complete, which can take weeks to several months. If the death is part of an open criminal case, ADFS may hold the report until that investigation concludes.

Autopsy Report vs Death Certificate in Alabama

These are two different documents from two different agencies. The death certificate is a vital record issued by the Alabama Center for Health Statistics within the Alabama Department of Public Health, and it lists a brief, summary cause-of-death line.

The autopsy report is a detailed forensic document from ADFS describing the postmortem examination, internal findings, and the pathologist's conclusions. The toxicology report covers drug and alcohol testing.

If you only need to settle an estate, claim insurance, or prove the death, the death certificate is usually enough. If you need the full medical detail behind the cause of death, you need the autopsy report. For the certificate process, see our Alabama Death Records guide.

Alabama Autopsy Report Facts

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Public-records fees, processing times, and release policies change. Always confirm current requirements with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences before relying on them.

Sources

This guide is based on the Alabama Code, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, and the CDC Public Health Law Program, all linked above. For the death certificate process, see Alabama Death Records or browse Death Records by State.