Pennsylvania Court Says Autopsy Records are Public

In a significant public records victory for two state newspapers, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Thursday that autopsy records should be available to the public.

Reversing a lower court decision, the high court found that autopsy reports are indeed official records or papers subject to disclosure, though trial courts still have judicial discretion over the material in some cases.

The Morning Call of Allentown and The Express-Times of Easton both sued Lehigh County coroner Scott Grim after he refused to disclose the autopsy reports for a slain Easton police officer, whose death was ruled a homicide, according to court records.

Read more at RCFP.org.