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Texas Code of Criminal Procedure - CRIM P Art. § 49A.053. Deaths Requiring Inquest

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

<Text of article effective April 1, 2027. >

(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.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Texas Code of Criminal Procedure - CRIM P Art. § 49A.053. Deaths Requiring Inquest - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/code-of-criminal-procedure/crim-ptx-crim-pro-art-49a-053/

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