26B-8-201. Definitions.

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A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Effective 5/6/2026

As used in this part:

(1)"Dead body" means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-8-101 .

(a)"Death by violence" means death that resulted by the decedent's exposure to physical, mechanical, or chemical forces.

(b)"Death by violence" includes death that appears to have been due to homicide, death that occurred during or in an attempt to commit rape, mayhem, kidnapping, robbery, burglary, housebreaking, extortion, or blackmail accompanied by threats of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to commit any offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, arson punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, or any attempt to commit any of the foregoing offenses.

(3)"Health care professional" means any of the following while acting in a professional capacity:

(a)a physician licensed under Title 58, Chapter 67, Utah Medical Practice Act, or Title 58, Chapter 68, Utah Osteopathic Medical Practice Act;

(b)a physician assistant licensed under Title 58, Chapter 70a, Utah Physician Assistant Act; or

(c)an advanced practice registered nurse licensed under Subsections 58-31b-301(2)(a) through

(c).

(4)"Immediate relative" means an individual's spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild.

(5)"Medical examiner" means the state medical examiner appointed pursuant to Section 26B-8-202 or a deputy appointed by the medical examiner.

(6)"Medical examiner record" means:

(a)all information that the medical examiner obtains regarding a decedent;

(b)reports that the medical examiner makes regarding a decedent; and

(c)all administrative forms and correspondence related to a decedent's case.

(7)"Regional pathologist" means an American Board of Pathology certified pathologist licensed to practice medicine and surgery in the state, appointed by the medical examiner pursuant to Subsection 26B-8-202(3) .

(8)"Sudden death while in apparent good health" means apparently instantaneous death without obvious natural cause, death during or following an unexplained syncope or coma, or death during an acute or unexplained rapidly fatal illness.

(9)"Sudden unexpected infant death" means the death of a child who was thought to be in good health or whose terminal illness appeared to be so mild that the possibility of a fatal outcome was not anticipated.

(10)"Suicide" means death caused by an intentional and voluntary act of an individual who understands the physical nature of the act and intends by such act to accomplish self-destruction.

(11)"Unattended death" means a death that occurs more than 365 days after the day on which a health care professional examined or treated the deceased individual for any purpose, including writing a prescription.

(a)"Unavailable for postmortem investigation" means that a dead body is:

(i)transported out of state;

(ii)buried at sea;

(iii)cremated;

(iv)processed by alkaline hydrolysis; or

(v)otherwise made unavailable to the medical examiner for postmortem investigation or autopsy.

(b)"Unavailable for postmortem investigation" does not include embalming or burial of a dead body pursuant to the requirements of law.

(13)"Within the scope of the decedent's employment" means all acts reasonably necessary or incident to the performance of work, including matters of personal convenience and comfort not in conflict with specific instructions.

Amended by Chapter 96 , 2026 General Session