The Pierce County coroner function is actually handled by the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office, a distinction that matters because board-certified forensic pathologists lead the investigations rather than an elected coroner. The office covers all of Pierce County, Washington — roughly 946,000 residents across every city and unincorporated area1U.S. Census Bureau. Pierce County, Washington QuickFacts — and is located at 3619 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. If you are trying to get autopsy records, release a loved one’s remains, or obtain a certified death certificate, each of those goes through a different process, and the one for the death certificate does not involve the Medical Examiner’s Office at all.
Which Deaths the Office Investigates
The Medical Examiner takes jurisdiction over sudden, violent, suspicious, or unexplained deaths. That includes suicides, drug deaths, deaths from neglect, motor vehicle deaths, deaths where no physician was present, and deaths in state institutions or Department of Corrections custody.2Washington State Legislature. RCW 68.50.010 – Coroners Jurisdiction Over Remains A death where the cause simply isn’t known is enough on its own. For every case the office accepts, forensic pathologists determine both a cause of death (the specific injury, disease, or condition) and a manner of death (natural, accidental, homicide, suicide, or undetermined).
Getting Autopsy and Case File Records
Autopsy and postmortem reports are confidential under Washington law and are not released through ordinary public records channels. Only a defined group can obtain them: the personal representative of the estate; family members, meaning a surviving spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, brother, or sister; the attending physician; prosecuting attorneys; law enforcement with jurisdiction; and specific state agencies including the Department of Social and Health Services and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.3Washington State Legislature. RCW 68.50.105 – Autopsies, Postmortems Reports and Records Confidential Exceptions Parties in related civil or criminal litigation can also get access through the legal process.
If you qualify, use the office’s form titled “Request for Copies of Medical Examiner Case File Materials.”4Pierce County, Washington. Request for Copies of Medical Examiner Case File Materials You’ll give the decedent’s full name, date of birth, and date of death, along with your own contact information and your relationship to the deceased, and attach a copy of your photo ID. The form lets you check what you want: the postmortem examination report (which includes any lab results), death investigation reports, digital photos, or other materials.
Submit it through Pierce County’s online public records portal, or by mail, email, fax, or in person.5Pierce County, Washington. Making a Public Records Request The mailing address is Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office, Attn. Records, 3619 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, WA 98418. Under the Washington Public Records Act, the office has five business days to respond, though that initial response may be the records themselves, a time estimate, a request for clarification, or a denial with a written explanation.6Washington State Legislature. RCW 42.56.520 – Prompt Responses Required Staff will tell you about any duplication fees or redactions required by privacy law.
Releasing Remains and Authorizing Cremation
Once the forensic examination is finished, a licensed funeral home can take custody. Washington law sets a priority list for who holds legal authority to direct what happens with the remains, in this order:7Washington State Legislature. RCW 68.50.160 – Right to Control Disposition of Remains
- A person named on the DD Form 93 if the decedent died during military service.
- An agent named in a written, signed, and witnessed document by the decedent.
- The surviving spouse or state registered domestic partner.
- A majority of the surviving adult children.
- The surviving parents.
- A majority of the surviving siblings.
- A court-appointed guardian who was serving at the time of death.
As of February 23, 2026, the office requires the chosen funeral home to submit a completed and signed Authorization for Release form before any remains are released. The funeral home can fax or email it ahead of time or bring it at pickup.8Pierce County, Washington. Information for Funeral Directors
Cremation and embalming need a separate step that often surprises families. When a death falls under the Medical Examiner’s jurisdiction, no one may embalm, cremate, or make final disposition without the office’s written consent, and proceeding without it is a misdemeanor. The Medical Examiner has up to five days to complete the autopsy or postmortem, and a court order can extend that if needed. Build a few extra days into any cremation plan to account for this.
Getting a Certified Death Certificate
The Medical Examiner certifies and signs the death record, but it does not sell certified copies. Those come from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.9Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. Birth Records and Death Certificates Each certified copy is $39.10Washington State Department of Health. Birth, Death, Vital Records Offered at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department You’ll need valid ID and documentation of your relationship to the decedent. Insurance claims, bank accounts, real estate transfers, and probate each typically want their own original, so ordering four or five at once saves repeat trips.
If toxicology or other lab work is still outstanding, the Medical Examiner may issue a death certificate marked “Pending” so families can start handling estate matters without waiting. When the final results come in, a supplemental report updates the cause of death and the Health Department can issue a finalized certificate.
Office Hours and Contact
The Medical Examiner’s Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays, at 3619 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98418. The phone number is (253) 798-6494 and the fax is (253) 798-2893.11Pierce County, Washington. Medical Examiner Directory The current Chief Medical Examiner is Dr. Karen Cline-Parhamovich.12Pierce County, Washington. Medical Examiner