Medical Examiners and coroners are two different groups that meet a similar need in their communities. Coroners are part of an older system dating back many centuries, to a time when the job of the "Crowner" was to make sure a decedent's taxes had been paid to the King. Today, the coroner's main duties are to inquire into the cause and manner of a death, and to complete the death certificate. Coroners are usually elected laypersons who may or may not have medical training, depending on local statutes. Coroners contract with pathologist or forensic pathologist who provides autopsies and medical expertise to support the coroner's investigations.In contrast, the Medical Examiner system is a modern invention, a streamlined system for medicolegal death investigation. Medical Examiners are almost always appointed to their positions rather than elected, are always physicians, and should have specialized training in forensic pathology. The Medical Examiner system is the trend of the future in death investigation in the United States, with over half of the states using this system.
In rare circumstances, the terminology may become complex, as a Forensic Pathologist may also be the elected Coroner.
In the state of Missouri, larger urban counties operate under Medical Examiner jurisdiction, while smaller counties, by statute, operate under coroner jurisdiction. Coroners from several rural Missouri counties contract with the Jackson County Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy services when needed. Medical Examiner