Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.053 · Subchapter B. INQUESTS BY JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
DEATHS REQUIRING INQUEST.
Not yet in force
Text of article effective on April 01, 2027
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) A justice of the peace shall conduct an inquest into the death of a person who dies in the county served by the justice if:
(1) the person dies in prison under circumstances other than those described by Section 501.055(b), Government Code, or in jail;
(2) the person dies an unnatural death from a cause other than a legal execution;
(3) the body or a body part of a person is found and either:
(A) the person is identified but the cause or circumstances of death are unknown; or
(B) the person is unidentified, regardless of whether the cause or circumstances of death are known;
(4) the circumstances of the death indicate that the death may have been caused by unlawful means;
(5) the person dies by suicide or the circumstances of the death indicate that the death may have been caused by suicide;
(6) the person dies without having been attended by a physician;
(7) the person dies while attended by a physician who:
(A) is unable to certify the cause of death; and
(B) requests the justice to conduct an inquest; or
(8) the person is a child younger than six years of age and an inquest is required by Chapter 264, Family Code.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a physician who attends the death of a person and is unable to certify the cause of death shall report the death to the justice of the peace of the precinct where the death occurred and request that the justice conduct an inquest.
(c) If a person dies in an institution and an attending physician is unable to certify the cause of death, the superintendent or general manager of the institution shall report the death to the justice of the peace of the precinct where the institution is located.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 202 (H.B. 1610), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CR/htm/CR.49A.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 abadd196c7b355d60c49bdfc81c304357754297988a7da24442b728516174dc7
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Cited by 9 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.053. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Code of Criminal Procedure
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.054REQUIRED NOTICE TO JUSTICE OF THE PEACE; OFFENSE.Printed as Article 49A.053
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.058TIME AND PLACE OF INQUEST.Printed as Article 49A.053(a)(6)
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.060LIMITATIONS ON MOVING BODY AND PHYSICAL SURROUNDINGS; OFFENSE.Printed as Article 49A.053
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.061AUTHORITY TO LOCK AND SEAL PREMISES OF DECEASED PERSON; LIABILITY OF ESTATE FOR EXPENSES; OFFENSE.Printed as Article 49A.053
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.062AUTHORITY TO DISINTER BODY.Printed as Article 49A.053
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.067UNIDENTIFIED BODY.Printed as Article 49A.053(a)(3)(B)
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.068CREMATION; OFFENSE.Printed as Article 49A.053
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.151COUNTY SERVED BY JUSTICE OF THE PEACE: NOTICE AND REPORT OF DEATH OCCURRING IN INSTITUTION.Printed as Article 49A.053
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.252RIGHT OF PARENT OF DECEASED PERSON TO VIEW PERSON'S BODY.Printed as Article 49A.053 or 49A.109
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.