Are Autopsy Reports Public in Arkansas? (2026)

Arkansas autopsy reports are not public records. They are privileged and confidential under Arkansas Code 12-12-312, so the general public cannot pull a copy. The next of kin (or an insurer) may request one from the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory by sending a notarized letter and a $25 fee, and homicide or undetermined cases need extra authorization.

Are Autopsy Reports Public in Arkansas?

No. Arkansas autopsy reports are not public records. The reports produced by the State Medical Examiner are privileged and confidential under Arkansas Code 12-12-312, which means a member of the general public cannot request a copy the way they might request a court filing or a property record.

Access is limited to a defined group: typically the next of kin and insurers with a legitimate interest, plus official investigating agencies. The coroner, the investigating agency, and the prosecutor automatically receive a copy on every case.

This is different from many states that treat the final autopsy report as an open record after the investigation closes. In Arkansas, the confidentiality rule stays in place, so identity and relationship matter when you ask for a copy.

For a national overview of how states handle this, see Are Autopsies Public Records?.

Who Performs Autopsies in Arkansas?

Arkansas uses a county coroner system combined with a centralized State Medical Examiner. Each county has an elected coroner who investigates deaths locally, but the medical autopsy itself is performed by the State Medical Examiner's Section inside the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory (ASCL), part of the Department of Public Safety.

Not every death is autopsied. Under Arkansas Code 12-12-315, when someone dies suddenly, unexpectedly, or by unnatural or violent means, the county coroner, police, sheriff, state police, prison warden, or prosecutor may request an examination from the Medical Examiner's Section to determine the cause and manner of death.

Permission from the next of kin is not required in those circumstances. The ASCL receives more than 1,500 referrals a year, and roughly 1,200 of those undergo a complete autopsy.

When an Autopsy Happens

Typical cases include trauma deaths, motor vehicle and industrial accidents, suspected homicides, suicides, deaths in custody, and sudden unexplained deaths. Deaths involving apparent drug, alcohol, or poison toxicity are also routinely submitted for postmortem examination.

Who Can Request an Arkansas Autopsy Report?

The next of kin can request an Arkansas autopsy report, and so can an insurance company with a stake in the death. The general public cannot.

The Medical Examiner's Section requires a notarized letter of request signed by the next of kin before it will release a report to a family member or an insurer. That notarization requirement is the gatekeeping step that keeps these reports out of general circulation.

Cases ruled a homicide or undetermined carry an extra layer. For those, the requester also needs authorization from the prosecuting attorney in the county where the death occurred, or a court order from a court of competent jurisdiction. This protects active criminal cases from premature disclosure.

How to Get an Autopsy or Toxicology Report in Arkansas

To get a copy, send the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory a notarized letter of request signed by the next of kin, along with a check or money order for $25.00 made payable to the ASCL.

Address the request to the Medical Examiner's Section of the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. You can call the Medical Examiner's Section at 501-227-5936 to confirm the current mailing address, the case status, and exactly what your specific case requires before you mail anything.

The report you receive includes the investigation findings, the medical findings, toxicology results, and an "opinion" page that explains the cause and manner of death. Toxicology is part of that complete report rather than a separate public filing.

Pending Cases and Processing Time

Plan ahead on timing. The ASCL asks families to allow a minimum of three months for the final examination autopsy report, because that window covers the toxicology testing and other lab and investigative work.

If the death was ruled a homicide or undetermined, remember the extra authorization step. Without the prosecutor's sign-off or a court order, the office will hold the report while the case is open.

Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules, fees, and processing times can change. Confirm the current requirements directly with the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory Medical Examiner's Section before you submit a request.

Autopsy Report vs Death Certificate in Arkansas

The autopsy report and the death certificate are two different documents. The death certificate is the official record that a death occurred, registered with the county and the Arkansas Department of Health Bureau of Vital Records. It carries the cause and manner of death on a single line, and it can be marked "Pending" while the Medical Examiner finishes the case.

The autopsy report is the detailed forensic document behind that line. It walks through the investigation, the medical findings, toxicology, and the Medical Examiner's reasoning. When the Medical Examiner reaches a final ruling, a supplemental death certificate updates the cause and manner of death at Vital Records.

For death certificate requests and eligibility, see the Arkansas Death Records guide. You can also compare other states through the Death Records by State hub.

Sources

This page draws on the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory Medical Examiner pamphlet and section page, Arkansas Code Title 12, and CDC public health law resources.