Autopsy, borrowed from the Greek autopsia, meaning “the act of seeing with one’s own eyes” means the detailed medical examination, and/or dissection of a dead body to determine the cause of death, or for any scientific and medical purpose....
mortuary law
burial insurance
Burial insurance is an insurance purchased to cover the cost of burial, cremation or other disposal of a deceased remains. Burial insurance can be defined as a type of life insurance: the paid-up capital is used to cover the costs of the...
burial policy
Burial policy is an insurance policy used to cover the costs of funeral or cremation expenses for a person who has died. Burial insurance is paid out directly to the beneficiary who may need the money to cover funeral or cremation expenses,...
coroner
A coroner is a county official who determines the cause of death of anyone who dies from unnatural causes. The precise role of a coroner varies by jurisdiction and is sometimes defined by statute.
For Example:
...deceased
The deceased–more commonly referred to as the decedent in a legal context–is a person who has died. This is the central person in the law of estates and trusts. All of the deceased’s assets become a part of their estate. If the deceased established a...
estate
An estate is the total property; real and personal, owned by an individual prior to distribution through a trust or will.
See: Estate Planning; Estates and Trusts.
[Last updated in September of 2022 by the Wex...
homicide
Homicide is a manner of death, when one person causes the death of another. Not all homicide is murder, as some deaths caused by another person are manslaughter, and some are lawful; such as when justified by an affirmative defense, like...
kin
Kin is a blood relative. The term “kin” is ordinarily applied to relationships through ties of blood or consanguinity. However, it is sometimes used generally to include relatives by marriage or adoption. Kin is also called kindred, kinsman,...
next of kin
A person’s next of kin is their closest living blood relative, including spouses and adopted family members. The designation as next of kin is important in the context of intestate succession, as a decedent’s next of kin is prioritized in receiving...
post mortem
Post mortem is Latin for "after death." Some common uses of the term “post-mortem” in a legal sense include the following:
Post-mortem tax planning involves creating a plan to reduce tax liability...