Ohio Court Ruling Victory for Coroners

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Thursday that relatives of the deceased have no right to the return of organs removed during autopsies.

The justices ruled 6-1, the Dayton Daily News reported.

The decision undermines a federal class-action suit targeting coroners and medical examiners in 87 of the state’s 88 counties. The federal court asked Ohio’s highest court to determine whether state law requires that organs be returned.

Autopsies are usually required in cases of suspicious or sudden death and in some other circumstances. Bodies are generally returned to families for burial or cremation.

In some cases, organs that have been removed are treated as medical waste, especially if they must be kept for a long time after the autopsy. Brains, for example, are sometimes kept in fixing solution for as long as six weeks to harden them before dissection.