2006 Minnesota Statutes

390.005 ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT, ELIGIBILITY; VACANCIES; REMOVAL.
    Subdivision 1. Selection of coroner or medical examiner. Each county must have a coroner
or medical examiner. A coroner may be elected, as prescribed by section 382.01, or appointed
in each county. A medical examiner must be appointed by the county board. The term of an
appointed coroner or medical examiner must not be longer than four years.
    Subd. 2. Appointment by resolution. The board of county commissioners may, by
resolution, state its intention to fill the office of coroner by appointment. The resolution must be
adopted at least six months before the end of the term of the incumbent coroner, if elected. After
the resolution is adopted, the board shall fill the office by appointing a person not less than 30
days before the end of the incumbent's term. The appointed coroner shall serve for a term of office
determined by the board beginning upon the expiration of the term of the incumbent. The term
must not be longer than four years.
If there is a vacancy in the elected office, the board may by resolution, state its intention to
fill the office by appointment. When the resolution is adopted, the board shall fill the office by
appointment immediately. The coroner shall serve for a term determined by the board. The term
must not be longer than four years.
    Subd. 3. Qualifications. (a) The medical examiner must be a forensic pathologist who is
certified or eligible for certification by the American Board of Pathology. The medical examiner
is an appointed public official in a system of death investigation in which the administrative
control, the determination of the extent of the examination, need for autopsy, and the filing of the
cause and manner of death information with the state registrar pursuant to section 144.221 are
all under the control of the medical examiner.
(b) The coroner must be a physician with a valid license in good standing under chapter 147,
to practice medicine as defined under section 147.081, subdivision 3. The coroner is a public
official, elected or appointed, whose duty is to make inquiry into deaths in certain categories,
determine the cause and manner of death, and file the information with the state registrar
pursuant to section 144.221. The coroner must obtain additional training in medicolegal death
investigation, such as training by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, within
four years of taking office, unless the coroner has already obtained this training.
(c) The coroner or medical examiner need not be a resident of the county.
    Subd. 4. Certain incumbents. An incumbent coroner or medical examiner in office on July
1, 2006, is hereby deemed to meet the qualifications prescribed by this section for the purpose
of continuance in the office of coroner until the end of the current term of office, after which
this statute will apply.
    Subd. 5. Vacancies, removal. Vacancies in the office of coroner or medical examiner shall
be filled according to sections 375.08 and 382.02, or under subdivision 1. The medical examiner
or appointed coroner may be removed by the county board during a term of office for cause
shown after a hearing upon due notice of written charges. The hearing shall be conducted in
accordance with that county's human resources policy.
History: 1965 c 761 s 1; 1983 c 114 s 1; 1985 c 265 art 7 s 1; 1994 c 445 s 1; 2006
c 260 art 8 s 1