Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.202 · Subchapter E. INFORMED CONSENT FOR POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION OR AUTOPSY IN ALL COUNTIES
INFORMED CONSENT TO POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION OR AUTOPSY REQUIRED.
Not yet in force
Text of article effective on April 01, 2027
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a physician may not perform, or assist in the performance of, a postmortem examination or autopsy on the body of a deceased person unless the physician obtains the written informed consent of a person authorized to provide consent under Article 49A.203. The consent must be provided on the form prescribed under Article 49A.204.
(b) If, after exercising due diligence, a physician is unable to identify or contact a person authorized under Article 49A.203 to give consent to a postmortem examination or autopsy on the body of a deceased person, the physician may perform the examination or autopsy. The physician must:
(1) be authorized by a medical examiner, justice of the peace, or county judge, as appropriate, to perform the postmortem examination or autopsy; and
(2) perform the postmortem examination or autopsy not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours from the time:
(A) of the deceased person's death; or
(B) the physician or other person took possession of the body.
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 564c5b5e0697eb249ace8c97e0e2d516f858f11104e97203fff897908f5ad9ac
- 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 1 provision
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 49A.202. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
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.