ABMDI Registry (Medicolegal Death Investigation) EXAM 2025/2026 (Actual
Exam) Questions with verified Answers Plus Rationales (Latest Update
2025/2026) UPDATE!!
Question 1
From which of the following sources does the medical examiner or coroner’s office derive its
primary legal authority to conduct a medicolegal death investigation?
A) The Federal Bureau of Investigation
B) The United States Department of Justice
C) State and local laws
D) The National Academy of Sciences
E) The International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners
Correct Answer: C) State and local laws
Rationale: The medicolegal death investigation system in the United States is decentralized.
Authority is not granted by the federal government but is instead established by the
legislative branch of each individual state. These statutes define which types of deaths must
be investigated (e.g., sudden, unexpected, violent, or unattended deaths) and grant the
ME/Coroner the power to take jurisdiction over the body and the scene.
Question 2
Which state official is typically responsible for assembling and maintaining the revised state
statutes that a county or local death investigation jurisdiction must adhere to?
A) The Governor
B) The Attorney General
C) The Secretary of State
D) The Director of Public Health
E) The Chief Medical Examiner
Correct Answer: C) Secretary of State
Rationale: The Secretary of State serves as the "keeper of the records" for state
government. This includes the maintenance, publication, and distribution of the state’s
legislative acts and statutes. While the ME/Coroner enforces the laws, and the Attorney
General may provide legal counsel, the administrative responsibility for the statutes
themselves rests with the Secretary of State.
Question 3
In a county jurisdiction that contains a federal military facility, who is responsible for the final
decisions regarding the investigation of a death occurring on that federal property?
A) The County Coroner
B) The State Chief Medical Examiner
C) The Armed Forces Medical Examiner
D) The local Chief of Police
E) The Department of Veterans Affairs
Correct Answer: C) Armed Forces Medical Examiner
, 2
Rationale: Federal jurisdiction often supersedes local jurisdiction on military installations.
The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) houses the Office of the Armed Forces
Medical Examiner (OAFME), which has the statutory authority to investigate deaths of
military personnel or deaths occurring on military land. While local authorities may assist,
the OAFME retains primary authority.
Question 4
When a death occurs on a federally recognized Indian reservation, which agency is responsible
for the primary investigation of the death?
A) The Tribal Police Department only
B) The Bureau of Indian Affairs
C) The FBI
D) The nearest state Medical Examiner
E) The Department of the Interior
Correct Answer: C) The FBI
Rationale: Under the Major Crimes Act, the federal government—specifically the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—has jurisdiction over specific major crimes committed on
Indian reservations, including homicide. While tribal authorities participate, the federal
medicolegal aspect is handled through federal agencies rather than state-level coroners or
medical examiners.
Question 5
In the event of a commercial aviation disaster (plane crash), which federal agency must be
notified immediately and will take charge of the investigation into the cause of the crash?
A) The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)
B) The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board)
C) The Department of Homeland Security
D) The TSA (Transportation Security Administration)
E) The FBI
Correct Answer: B) NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board)
Rationale: The NTSB is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with
investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States. While the FAA regulates
aviation safety and the FBI investigates potential criminal interference, the NTSB is the
lead agency for the physical investigation of the crash site and the determination of
probable cause.
Question 6
Which agency should be notified regarding the investigation of a non-commercial, private
aviation crash?
A) The NTSB
B) The FAA
, 3
C) The Civil Air Patrol
D) The State Police
E) The Department of Transportation
Correct Answer: B) FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)
Rationale: The FAA is responsible for the regulation and oversight of civil aviation. While
the NTSB may investigate significant private crashes, the FAA is the primary regulatory
body notified for general aviation incidents. The FAA focuses on pilot certification, aircraft
airworthiness, and regulatory compliance during the investigation.
Question 7
Under federal guidelines, which organization must be notified of any death that is job-related or
occurs within a workplace environment?
A) The Department of Labor
B) The local Chamber of Commerce
C) OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
D) The Workers' Compensation Board
E) The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Correct Answer: C) OSHA
Rationale: OSHA mandates that employers report any work-related fatality within eight
hours. The medicolegal death investigator must ensure OSHA is notified to facilitate an
investigation into potential safety violations or environmental hazards that contributed to
the death, which is separate from the ME/Coroner's determination of cause and manner.
Question 8
What is the primary reason for notifying Family and Children's Protection Services (CPS)
following the death of a child?
A) To arrange for the funeral of the child
B) To obtain information regarding previous referrals or history of abuse involving the family
C) To initiate criminal charges against the parents
D) To remove any surviving siblings from the home immediately
E) To verify the child’s birth certificate
Correct Answer: B) To obtain information as to previous referrals on the child's family
Rationale: Death investigators collaborate with CPS to build a social history of the
decedent. Previous "founded" or "unfounded" reports of neglect or abuse are critical
pieces of evidence when determining the manner of death (e.g., Homicide vs. Accident).
This information helps the pathologist look for specific patterns of injury that may match
historical complaints.
Question 9
Following the identification of a death potentially caused by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS), which specialized center must be contacted according to many medicolegal protocols?
, 4
A) The CDC
B) The Sudden Infant Death Center
C) The National Institutes of Health
D) The American Academy of Pediatrics
E) The local health department's infectious disease unit
Correct Answer: B) SIDS
Rationale: SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Contacting a SIDS center (or a state-designated
SIDS coordinator) is vital for providing the family with specialized bereavement support
and for collecting data for national research. Many states have specific protocols requiring
the ME/Coroner to facilitate this communication as part of a comprehensive infant death
investigation.
Question 10
Case information from a medicolegal death investigation should only be released to authorized
persons. Who determines which individuals are authorized to receive such information?
A) The decedent’s Next of Kin (NOK)
B) The local news media
C) Individual office policy
D) The police department
E) The hospital where the decedent was treated
Correct Answer: C) Individual office policy
Rationale: While state "Sunshine Laws" or Freedom of Information Acts provide general
guidance, the specific day-to-day release of sensitive case information (such as autopsy
photos or toxicology results) is governed by the specific policies of the ME/Coroner’s office.
These policies balance the public’s right to know with the family’s right to privacy and the
integrity of ongoing criminal investigations.
Question 11
Once a death has been officially certified and the death certificate is filed, the information
contained on that certificate enters which legal status?
A) Sealed record
B) Private domain
C) Public domain
D) Restricted access
E) Copyrighted material
Correct Answer: C) Public domain
Rationale: The death certificate is an official government record. While certain sensitive
portions (like the Social Security number) may be redacted in some states, the basic facts of
the death—name, date, cause, and manner—are considered public information. This allows
for legal proceedings, insurance claims, and genealogical research.
Exam) Questions with verified Answers Plus Rationales (Latest Update
2025/2026) UPDATE!!
Question 1
From which of the following sources does the medical examiner or coroner’s office derive its
primary legal authority to conduct a medicolegal death investigation?
A) The Federal Bureau of Investigation
B) The United States Department of Justice
C) State and local laws
D) The National Academy of Sciences
E) The International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners
Correct Answer: C) State and local laws
Rationale: The medicolegal death investigation system in the United States is decentralized.
Authority is not granted by the federal government but is instead established by the
legislative branch of each individual state. These statutes define which types of deaths must
be investigated (e.g., sudden, unexpected, violent, or unattended deaths) and grant the
ME/Coroner the power to take jurisdiction over the body and the scene.
Question 2
Which state official is typically responsible for assembling and maintaining the revised state
statutes that a county or local death investigation jurisdiction must adhere to?
A) The Governor
B) The Attorney General
C) The Secretary of State
D) The Director of Public Health
E) The Chief Medical Examiner
Correct Answer: C) Secretary of State
Rationale: The Secretary of State serves as the "keeper of the records" for state
government. This includes the maintenance, publication, and distribution of the state’s
legislative acts and statutes. While the ME/Coroner enforces the laws, and the Attorney
General may provide legal counsel, the administrative responsibility for the statutes
themselves rests with the Secretary of State.
Question 3
In a county jurisdiction that contains a federal military facility, who is responsible for the final
decisions regarding the investigation of a death occurring on that federal property?
A) The County Coroner
B) The State Chief Medical Examiner
C) The Armed Forces Medical Examiner
D) The local Chief of Police
E) The Department of Veterans Affairs
Correct Answer: C) Armed Forces Medical Examiner
, 2
Rationale: Federal jurisdiction often supersedes local jurisdiction on military installations.
The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) houses the Office of the Armed Forces
Medical Examiner (OAFME), which has the statutory authority to investigate deaths of
military personnel or deaths occurring on military land. While local authorities may assist,
the OAFME retains primary authority.
Question 4
When a death occurs on a federally recognized Indian reservation, which agency is responsible
for the primary investigation of the death?
A) The Tribal Police Department only
B) The Bureau of Indian Affairs
C) The FBI
D) The nearest state Medical Examiner
E) The Department of the Interior
Correct Answer: C) The FBI
Rationale: Under the Major Crimes Act, the federal government—specifically the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—has jurisdiction over specific major crimes committed on
Indian reservations, including homicide. While tribal authorities participate, the federal
medicolegal aspect is handled through federal agencies rather than state-level coroners or
medical examiners.
Question 5
In the event of a commercial aviation disaster (plane crash), which federal agency must be
notified immediately and will take charge of the investigation into the cause of the crash?
A) The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)
B) The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board)
C) The Department of Homeland Security
D) The TSA (Transportation Security Administration)
E) The FBI
Correct Answer: B) NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board)
Rationale: The NTSB is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with
investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States. While the FAA regulates
aviation safety and the FBI investigates potential criminal interference, the NTSB is the
lead agency for the physical investigation of the crash site and the determination of
probable cause.
Question 6
Which agency should be notified regarding the investigation of a non-commercial, private
aviation crash?
A) The NTSB
B) The FAA
, 3
C) The Civil Air Patrol
D) The State Police
E) The Department of Transportation
Correct Answer: B) FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)
Rationale: The FAA is responsible for the regulation and oversight of civil aviation. While
the NTSB may investigate significant private crashes, the FAA is the primary regulatory
body notified for general aviation incidents. The FAA focuses on pilot certification, aircraft
airworthiness, and regulatory compliance during the investigation.
Question 7
Under federal guidelines, which organization must be notified of any death that is job-related or
occurs within a workplace environment?
A) The Department of Labor
B) The local Chamber of Commerce
C) OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
D) The Workers' Compensation Board
E) The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Correct Answer: C) OSHA
Rationale: OSHA mandates that employers report any work-related fatality within eight
hours. The medicolegal death investigator must ensure OSHA is notified to facilitate an
investigation into potential safety violations or environmental hazards that contributed to
the death, which is separate from the ME/Coroner's determination of cause and manner.
Question 8
What is the primary reason for notifying Family and Children's Protection Services (CPS)
following the death of a child?
A) To arrange for the funeral of the child
B) To obtain information regarding previous referrals or history of abuse involving the family
C) To initiate criminal charges against the parents
D) To remove any surviving siblings from the home immediately
E) To verify the child’s birth certificate
Correct Answer: B) To obtain information as to previous referrals on the child's family
Rationale: Death investigators collaborate with CPS to build a social history of the
decedent. Previous "founded" or "unfounded" reports of neglect or abuse are critical
pieces of evidence when determining the manner of death (e.g., Homicide vs. Accident).
This information helps the pathologist look for specific patterns of injury that may match
historical complaints.
Question 9
Following the identification of a death potentially caused by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS), which specialized center must be contacted according to many medicolegal protocols?
, 4
A) The CDC
B) The Sudden Infant Death Center
C) The National Institutes of Health
D) The American Academy of Pediatrics
E) The local health department's infectious disease unit
Correct Answer: B) SIDS
Rationale: SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Contacting a SIDS center (or a state-designated
SIDS coordinator) is vital for providing the family with specialized bereavement support
and for collecting data for national research. Many states have specific protocols requiring
the ME/Coroner to facilitate this communication as part of a comprehensive infant death
investigation.
Question 10
Case information from a medicolegal death investigation should only be released to authorized
persons. Who determines which individuals are authorized to receive such information?
A) The decedent’s Next of Kin (NOK)
B) The local news media
C) Individual office policy
D) The police department
E) The hospital where the decedent was treated
Correct Answer: C) Individual office policy
Rationale: While state "Sunshine Laws" or Freedom of Information Acts provide general
guidance, the specific day-to-day release of sensitive case information (such as autopsy
photos or toxicology results) is governed by the specific policies of the ME/Coroner’s office.
These policies balance the public’s right to know with the family’s right to privacy and the
integrity of ongoing criminal investigations.
Question 11
Once a death has been officially certified and the death certificate is filed, the information
contained on that certificate enters which legal status?
A) Sealed record
B) Private domain
C) Public domain
D) Restricted access
E) Copyrighted material
Correct Answer: C) Public domain
Rationale: The death certificate is an official government record. While certain sensitive
portions (like the Social Security number) may be redacted in some states, the basic facts of
the death—name, date, cause, and manner—are considered public information. This allows
for legal proceedings, insurance claims, and genealogical research.
