The Coroner's Office is responsible for determining the manner and the cause of death in all cases of homicide, suicide, accident, in all cases where there was no recent attending physician, or where circumstances surrounding the death are obscure or mysterious.

The responsibilities of the coroner are to see that the proper scientific studies are performed. These include autopsy, toxicology, microscopic slide examinations, bacteriology, X-rays, and whatever other studies are deemed to be appropriate and necessary in each specific case.

The findings are then prepared in official fashion and made available to appropriate people including family, attorneys, hospitals, physicians, courts, law enforcement agencies, states attorneys, public defenders, and insurance companies.