Kansas
Are Autopsy Reports Public in Kansas? (2026 Guide)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited June 14, 2026). · Law checked current as of August 9, 2026. · 5 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Yes. In Kansas, a completed autopsy report is a public record under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA). It is filed with the clerk of the district court in the county where the death occurred, and anyone may request a copy, unless it is being withheld as a criminal investigation record under the Kansas Open Records Act while a case is still open.
Are Autopsy Reports Public in Kansas?
Yes. A finished autopsy report in Kansas is a public record under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA). No Kansas statute declares coroner autopsy reports open in so many words. The conclusion follows from the statutes themselves: K.S.A. 22a-233(d) requires the report to be filed with the clerk of the district court, and no exemption in K.S.A. 45-221 covers it. The medical records exemption at K.S.A. 45-221(a)(3) reaches treatment records that pertain to identifiable patients, not a pathologist's postmortem findings.
Under K.S.A. 22a-233(d), the pathologist who performs the autopsy must file a full record and report of the findings with the coroner and with the clerk of the district court. Once that report is on file, the public can request it, because it is open under KORA.
The one major limit is timing. If the death is tied to a crime, K.S.A. 22a-232(b) directs the coroner to designate the coroner's own report a criminal investigation record under K.S.A. 45-221(a)(10). That same KORA exemption is what can keep the pathologist's autopsy report out of public hands until the investigation is resolved.
Who Performs Autopsies in Kansas? (Coroner System and When an Autopsy Happens)
Kansas uses a district coroner system, not a medical examiner. Coroners are organized by judicial district rather than by individual county, under K.S.A. Chapter 22a, Article 2.
The district coroner is appointed, not elected, and must be a Kansas resident licensed to practice medicine and surgery (K.S.A. 22a-226). The coroner may appoint deputy coroners and designates a qualified pathologist to perform any autopsy (K.S.A. 22a-233).
When an Autopsy Is Ordered
A coroner investigates deaths that are sudden, violent, or unexplained. Under the statute, this includes deaths from suspected violence, unlawful means, suicide, casualty, sudden death in apparent health, deaths without regular physician care, suspicious circumstances, and deaths in police custody or jail.
An autopsy is performed when, in the coroner's opinion, one should be done, or when the county or district attorney requests one in writing (K.S.A. 22a-233). Child deaths with suspicious circumstances or unknown causes carry their own autopsy rules under K.S.A. 22a-242.
Who Can Request a Kansas Autopsy Report?
Anyone can request a completed Kansas autopsy report, because it is a public record. You do not have to be the next of kin to obtain a report once it is on file with the clerk of the district court, unless it is being withheld as a criminal investigation record under KORA.
Next of kin and families often request the report first and may receive a certified copy for estate, insurance, or personal reasons. But the Kansas Open Records Act gives the general public the same right of access to the finished report.
The practical gate is not who you are. It is whether the report has been filed and whether it is being withheld under the KORA criminal investigation records exemption. While a death is under active investigation, access is limited regardless of your relationship to the deceased.
How to Get an Autopsy or Toxicology Report in Kansas
To get a Kansas autopsy report, send a written request to the clerk of the district court in the county where the death occurred. That is where the pathologist files the report under K.S.A. 22a-233, and it is the office that issues certified copies.
Follow these steps:
1. Identify the Correct County and Coroner
Find the county where the death occurred or where the body was found. The report is filed with the clerk of the district court for that county. For deaths handled by the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, families request a certified copy of the final autopsy report through the Clerk of the District Court in Wichita.
2. Submit a Written Request
Kansas agencies may require a written request under K.S.A. 45-220(b), and most clerks do. KORA does not otherwise dictate the form of a request, and the office may ask you to verify your identity. State the decedent's name, the date of death, and the county. Toxicology results are typically part of the autopsy file, so ask for the complete report.
3. Pay the Fee
Kansas offices may charge a reasonable fee not exceeding actual cost. This covers copying, certification, and staff time. Contact the clerk of the district court for the exact amount before you submit payment, because fees vary by county.
4. Allow for Processing and Pending-Case Holds
Autopsy and toxicology work can take weeks to months to finalize. If the death is under active investigation, the office can withhold the report as a criminal investigation record under K.S.A. 45-221(a)(10) until the case is resolved. Routine reports are released once they are complete and on file.
Autopsy Report vs Death Certificate in Kansas
A Kansas autopsy report is not the same as a death certificate. They come from different offices and contain different information.
The death certificate is a vital record issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. It lists a short cause-of-death line and is used for estates, benefits, and probate. It does not include the pathologist's detailed findings.
The autopsy report is the pathologist's full document. It describes the examination, internal findings, toxicology, and the manner and cause of death in detail. You request it from the clerk of the district court, not from vital records.
If you only need the legal cause of death for paperwork, the death certificate is usually enough. If you need the full medical explanation behind a death, you need the autopsy report.
For more on how autopsy access works generally, see Are Autopsies Public Records?.
Kansas Autopsy Report Facts
| Item | Kansas |
|---|---|
| Public or restricted | Public record under KORA once filed, unless withheld as a criminal investigation record under K.S.A. 45-221(a)(10) |
| Who can request | Anyone; next of kin and public have equal access to the finished report |
| Death investigation system | District coroner system (not a medical examiner) |
| Office that issues copies | Clerk of the district court in the county of death |
| Pending-case exemption | KORA criminal investigation records exemption, K.S.A. 45-221(a)(10); the coroner's own report is designated under K.S.A. 22a-232(b) |
| Fee | Reasonable fee not exceeding actual cost; varies by county |
| Governing law | K.S.A. Chapter 22a (coroners); Kansas Open Records Act |
Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice. Records procedures and fees vary by county and can change. Confirm the current process, cost, and any investigation holds with the clerk of the district court or coroner's office handling the case.
Sources
This page draws on the Kansas Statutes (Chapter 22a), the CDC Public Health Law Program coroner profile for Kansas, the Kansas Attorney General Open Records guidance, and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center.
UP: Kansas Death Records | Hub: Death Records by State
Frequently Asked Questions
Are autopsy reports public record in Kansas?
Yes. A completed Kansas autopsy report is a public record under the Kansas Open Records Act and is not exempt as a medical record. The report is filed with the clerk of the district court, and the public may request it once it is on file, unless it is being withheld as a criminal investigation record under K.S.A. 45-221(a)(10).
How do I get an autopsy report in Kansas?
Contact the clerk of the district court in the county where the death occurred. Kansas agencies may require the request in writing under K.S.A. 45-220(b), and most clerks do. Include the decedent's name, date of death, and county, and ask for the complete report including toxicology. The office may verify your identity and charge a copying fee.
Who can request an autopsy report in Kansas?
Anyone can request a finished autopsy report because it is a public record. Next of kin and families often request first and can get certified copies, but the general public has the same right of access once the report is on file, unless it is being withheld as a criminal investigation record under KORA.
How much does a Kansas autopsy report cost?
Kansas offices may charge a reasonable fee not exceeding the actual cost of copying, certification, and staff time. The exact amount varies by county, so contact the clerk of the district court for the current fee before you pay.
Can I get an autopsy report while the case is open?
Usually not. If a death is under active investigation, the report can be withheld under the KORA criminal investigation records exemption at K.S.A. 45-221(a)(10). K.S.A. 22a-232(b) separately directs the coroner to designate the coroner's own report that way when it might jeopardize the investigation. Routine reports are released once they are complete and on file.
Is an autopsy report the same as a death certificate?
No. The death certificate is a vital record from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment with a short cause-of-death line. The autopsy report is the pathologist's full document with detailed findings and toxicology, requested from the clerk of the district court.
Updates
Corrected the Kansas Open Records Act discussion: a written request is an agency option rather than a statutory requirement, the criminal investigation record designation in K.S.A. 22a-232(b) applies to the coroner's report with any hold on the autopsy report resting on the KORA exemption at K.S.A. 45-221(a)(10), and the claim that Kansas courts and the Attorney General treat autopsy records as open was replaced with the statutory basis for public access.
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Kansas Statutes Annotated, Chapter 22a: DISTRICT OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
§ 22a-233Autopsy, when; fees and travel allowances; specimens; record and report to coroner and clerk of the district court; exhumation and autopsy.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(a) If, in the opinion of the coroner, an autopsy should be performed, or if an autopsy is requested in writing by the county or district attorney or if the autopsy is required under K.S.A. 22a-242, and amendments thereto, such autopsy shall be performed by a qualified pathologist as may be designated by the coroner. A pathologist performing an autopsy, at the request of a coroner, shall be paid a usual and reasonable fee to be allowed by the board of county commissioners and shall be allowed and paid the travel allowance prescribed for coroners and deputy coroners in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 22a-228, and amendments thereto, the same to be paid by the board of county commissioners of the county in which the cause of death occurred except that autopsies performed under K.S.A. 22a-242, and amendments thereto, shall be paid for in accordance with K.S.A. 22a-242, and amendments thereto.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-03 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ksrevisor.gov
Also relied on in: How to Find a Cause of Death in Kansas (2026)
§ 22a-232Duties; transfer of jurisdiction.In force
(a) Upon receipt of notice pursuant to K.S.A. 22a-231, and amendments thereto, the coroner shall take charge of the dead body, make inquiries regarding the cause of death and reduce the findings to a report in writing. Such report shall be filed with the clerk of the district court of the county in which the death occurred if known, or if not known the report shall be filed with the clerk of the district court of the county in which the dead body was found. If the coroner determines that the dead body is not a body described by K.S.A. 22a-231, and amendments thereto, the coroner shall immediately notify the state historical society. (b) If in the opinion of the coroner information is present in the coroner's report that might jeopardize a criminal investigation, the coroner shall file the report with the clerk of the district court of such county and designate such report as a criminal investigation record, pursuant to subsection (a)(10) of K.S.A. 45-221, and amendments thereto. (c) If a death investigation involves multiple jurisdictions, the coroner notified under K.S.A.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ksrevisor.gov
§ 22a-226Establishment of office of district coroner; qualifications; nomination; appointment; multiple-county judicial districts; term; compensation; vacancies; oath; deputy coroners.In force
(a) There is hereby established the office of district coroner in each judicial district of the state. The district coroner shall be a resident of the state of Kansas licensed to practice medicine and surgery by the state board of healing arts or shall be a resident of a military or other federal enclave within the state and shall be duly licensed to practice medicine and surgery within such enclave. (b) (1) The local medical society or societies in each judicial district shall nominate one or more candidates for the office of district coroner and submit the names of the persons nominated to the board of county commissioners of a single-county judicial district or the board of county commissioners of the county with the largest population in a multiple-county judicial district on or before January 1, 1995, and every four years thereafter. The board of county commissioners of a single-county judicial district or the board of county commissioners of the county with the largest population in a multiple-county judicial district shall appoint a district coroner for the district. The appointee may be one of the persons nominated or some other qualified person.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ksrevisor.gov
§ 22a-242Child death, notification of coroner; investigation of death and autopsy; notification to county or district attorney after finding suspicious circumstance or unkown cause; notification of parent or guardian; fee for autopsy; death certificate to state review board.In force
(a) When a child dies, any law enforcement officer, health care provider or other person having knowledge of the death shall immediately notify the coroner of the known facts concerning the time, place, manner and circumstances of the death. If the notice to the coroner identifies any suspicious circumstances or unknown cause, as described in the protocol developed by the state review board under K.S.A. 22a-243, and amendments thereto, the coroner shall immediately: (1) Investigate the death to determine whether the child's death included any such suspicious circumstance or unknown cause; and (2) direct a pathologist to perform an autopsy. (b) If, after investigation and an autopsy, the coroner determines that the death of a child does not include any suspicious circumstances or unknown cause, as described in the protocol developed by the state review board under K.S.A. 22a-243, and amendments thereto, no further action by the coroner is required. (c) If, after investigation and an autopsy, the coroner determines that the death of a child includes any suspicious circumstance or unknown cause, as described in the protocol developed by the state review board under K.S.A.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ksrevisor.gov
Kansas Statutes Annotated, Chapter 45: PUBLIC RECORDS, DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION
§ 45-221Certain records not required to be disclosed; separation of open and closed information required; disclosure of statistical information; records over 70 years old open, exceptions.In forcecited in 11 of our articles
(a) Except to the extent disclosure is otherwise required by law, a public agency shall not be required to disclose: (1) Records the disclosure of which is specifically prohibited or restricted by federal law, state statute or rule of the Kansas supreme court or rule of the senate committee on confirmation oversight relating to information submitted to the committee pursuant to K.S.A. 75-4315d, and amendments thereto, or the disclosure of which is prohibited or restricted pursuant to specific authorization of federal law, state statute or rule of the Kansas supreme court or rule of the senate committee on confirmation oversight relating to information submitted to the committee pursuant to K.S.A. 75-4315d, and amendments thereto, to restrict or prohibit disclosure. (2) Records that are privileged under the rules of evidence, unless the holder of the privilege consents to the disclosure. (3) Medical, psychiatric, psychological or alcoholism or drug dependency treatment records that pertain to identifiable patients.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-02 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ksrevisor.gov
Cited in 46 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Kansas courts construe the K.S.A. 45-221 exceptions narrowly, and the exceptions permit withholding rather than require it. In Telegram Publishing Co. v. Kansas Department of Transportation (2003) the agency carried the burden and lost an (a)(1) claim. Harris Enterprises, Inc. v. Moore (1987) affirmed a denial under (a)(10).
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State, Department of Social & Rehabilitation Services v. Public Employee Relations Board of the Kansas Department of Human Resources (Supreme Court of Kansas 1991, 249 Kan. 163)✓A state hospital gave a certified union its employees' names but withheld home addresses; the Kansas Supreme Court held K.S.A. 45-221 does not prohibit disclosure but leaves it discretionary with the records custodian, so the agency could not refuse the disclosure order.
- Wichita Eagle & Beacon Publishing Co. v. Simmons (Supreme Court of Kansas 2002, 274 Kan. 194)✓A newspaper sought corrections records on parolees charged with murder; the Kansas Supreme Court held the K.S.A. 45-221(a)(20) exemption covers proposed policies, not actions already taken, and that subsection (d) required the agency to furnish redacted records.
- Harris Enterprises, Inc. v. Moore (Supreme Court of Kansas 1987, 241 Kan. 59)✓A newspaper sued for the Duffield murder investigation files; applying K.S.A. 45-221(a)(10), the Kansas Supreme Court put the public-interest burden on the requester and the other four findings on the agency, and affirmed the discretionary denial after in camera review.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Vital Records Explained: Are birth certificates public records?, Kansas Laws on Recording Police, License Plate Reader Laws by State: 2026 Comparison
§ 45-220Procedures for obtaining access to or copies of records; request for records; establishing office hours for inspection; custodian of records, duties; provision of information on procedures.In forcecited in 6 of our articles
(a) Each public agency shall adopt procedures to be followed in requesting access to and obtaining copies of public records, which procedures shall provide full access to public records, protect public records from damage and disorganization, prevent excessive disruption of the agency's essential functions, provide assistance and information upon request and ensure efficient and timely action in response to applications for inspection of public records. (b) A public agency may require a written request for inspection of public records but shall not otherwise require a request to be made in any particular form. Except as otherwise provided by subsection (c), a public agency shall not require that a request contain more information than the requester's name and address and the information necessary to ascertain the records to which the requester desires access and the requester's right of access to the records. A public agency may require proof of identity of any person requesting access to a public record. No request shall be returned, delayed or denied because of any technicality unless it is impossible to determine the records to which the requester desires access.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ksrevisor.gov
Cited in 19 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2016
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State v. Stevens (Court of Appeals of Kansas 1999, 26 Kan. App. 2d 606)“…cedures for making the information available to the public, K.S.A. 45-220. The Open Records Act also establishes…”
- Attorney General Opinion No. (Kansas Attorney General Reports 1996)“…tion of this statute is a class C misdemeanor. Furthermore, K.S.A. 45-220 (c) allows the agency to require the re…”
- State, Department of Social & Rehabilitation Services v. Public Employee Relations Board of the Kansas Department of Human Resources (Supreme Court of Kansas 1991, 249 Kan. 163)“…aining unit to the Union within 30 days. In accordance with K.S.A. 45-220(c), PERB’s order conditioned release of…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Kansas License Plate Reader Laws (2026), Kansas Police Body Camera Laws: Access & K.S.A. 45-254, Kansas Police Reports: Crash Reports, Records Requests, and Bodycam Footage
Sources and References
- K.S.A. 22a-233: Autopsy, when; fees; record and report to coroner and clerk of the district court(ksrevisor.gov).gov
- K.S.A. 22a-232: District coroners; duties; transfer of jurisdiction(ksrevisor.gov).gov
- CDC Public Health Law Program: Kansas Coroner/Medical Examiner Laws(cdc.gov).gov
- Kansas Attorney General: Frequently Asked Questions about the Kansas Open Records Act(ag.ks.gov).gov
- Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center: Frequently Asked Questions(sedgwickcounty.org).gov
- K.S.A. 45-221: Certain records not required to be open; criminal investigation records exemption at (a)(10)(ksrevisor.gov)
- K.S.A. 45-220: Procedures for requesting access to public records; written request is at the agency's option(ksrevisor.gov)