Okla. Stat. tit. 63, § 63-949

and Children.

A. 1. a. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shall keep

full and complete records, properly indexed, giving

the name, if known, of every person whose death is

investigated, the place where the body was found, the

date, cause, and manner of death and all other

relevant information concerning the death. The full

report and detailed findings of the autopsy, if any,

shall be a part of the record in each case.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety Page 1299

b. The Chief Medical Examiner shall track and forward,

within seventy-two (72) hours after the examination,

demographic information on sudden, unexpected and

nontraumatic infant deaths including, but not limited

to, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), to the

Oklahoma SIDS Coordinator at the State Department of

Health and the SIDS Foundation of Oklahoma. As used

in this subparagraph, "Sudden Unexpected Death in

Infants and Children" (SUDIC) means the sudden,

unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant less

than one (1) year of age which remains unexplained

following a complete medicolegal analysis and death

scene investigation. The Chief Medical Examiner shall

follow up with further notification upon final

determination of a cause of death. Such notification

shall be for statistical reporting purposes only.

2. The office shall promptly deliver to each district attorney

having jurisdiction of the case, copies of all cases relating to a

death for which further investigation may be advisable. Any

district attorney or other law enforcement official may, upon

request, obtain copies of such records or other information deemed

necessary to the performance of such district attorney's or other

law enforcement official's official duties.

B. No report, findings, testimony, or other information of a

medical examiner shall be admitted in evidence in any civil action

in any court in this state, except under the following

circumstances:

1. Certified copies of reports pertaining to the factual

determinations of views and examination of or autopsies upon the

bodies of deceased persons by the Chief Medical Examiner or anyone

under his or her supervision or control may be admitted in evidence

in any civil case in a court of competent jurisdiction in this state

by stipulation of all parties in the case;

2. If a party refuses to stipulate to admission, the reports

may be requested by any party seeking to admit the records as

evidence. The request shall be made to the Office of the Chief

Medical Examiner, who shall furnish same;

3. The party seeking admission of the reports shall then serve

interrogatories concerning the facts to be answered under oath by

the person preparing the records. The interrogatories and answers

thereto shall be subject to the rules of evidence and may be

admissible in evidence in any civil case in a court of competent

jurisdiction. Objections to the interrogatories shall be made by

any party in accordance with law just as if the interrogatories had

been served on the objecting party. Cross interrogatories shall be

submitted and shall be answered and admitted in evidence in the same

manner as interrogatories;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety Page 1300

4. The taking of depositions shall then be allowed pursuant to

the provisions of Section 3230 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

provided, however, depositions shall take place at the Office of the

Chief Medical Examiner or anyone under his or her supervision or

control whose testimony is sought, unless all parties, including the

medical examiner, agree the deposition can be taken elsewhere;

5. No other testimony of the Chief Medical Examiner or anyone

under his or her supervision and control shall be admitted in

evidence in any civil action in any court of this state, unless

timely application is made to the court by an interested party or
ision or

control whose testimony is sought, unless all parties, including the

medical examiner, agree the deposition can be taken elsewhere;

5. No other testimony of the Chief Medical Examiner or anyone

under his or her supervision and control shall be admitted in

evidence in any civil action in any court of this state, unless

timely application is made to the court by an interested party or

litigant and timely notice of the application is given to the

medical examiner. After a hearing, the court, for good cause shown,

may order the appearance of the Chief Medical Examiner or anyone

under his or her supervision and control for the purpose of

testifying and may order that a subpoena be issued for that

appearance; provided, however, that such order by the court shall be

the exception and not the rule; and

6. The cost of the records or certified copies thereof shall be

paid by the party requesting same. The reasonable fee charged by

the Chief Medical Examiner or anyone under his or her supervision

and control for answering interrogatories or cross interrogatories,

submitting to depositions, or providing testimony shall be paid by

the party submitting same. This fee shall be in place of any other

witness fee allowed by law.

C. Certified copies of reports and findings, exclusive of

hearsay evidence, may be admitted in evidence in preliminary

hearings and criminal trials by stipulation.

D. Certified copies of reports of investigations by a medical

examiner, laboratory reports and/or autopsy reports may be furnished

to the next of kin or others having need for them upon written

statement and payment of a reasonable fee set by the Board of

Medicolegal Investigations.