reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
SC Code § 17-5-543 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-543. Meetings of Child Fatality Review Team; confidentiality; penalties.

 (A) Meetings of the Child Fatality Review Team, the "review team", are closed to the public and are not subject to Chapter 4, Title 30, the Freedom of Information Act, when the review team is discussing individual cases of child deaths.  (B) Except as provided in subsection (C), meetings of the review team are open to the public and subject to the Freedom of Information Act when the review team is not discussing individual cases of child deaths.  (C) Information identifying a deceased child or a family member, guardian, or caretaker of a deceased child, or an alleged or suspected perpetrator of abuse or neglect upon a child may not be disclosed during a public meeting and information regarding the involvement of any agency with the deceased child or family may not be disclosed during a public meeting.  (D) Violation of this section is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, a person must be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.  HISTORY: 2018 Act No. 183 (S.170), Section 4, eff May 17, 2018.
SC Code § 17-5-544 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-544. Child Fatality Review team; exemptions from disclosure; public information; penalties.

 (A) All information, documents, and records of the Child Fatality Review team, records acquired by the review team, or records prepared by members of the review team in the exercise of their purposes and duties pursuant to this article are confidential, exempt from disclosure under Chapter 4, Title 30, the Freedom of Information Act, and only may be disclosed as necessary to carry out the review team's duties and purposes.  (B) Statistical compilations of data that do not contain information that would permit the identification of a person to be ascertained are public records.  (C) Reports of the review team that do not contain information that would permit the identification of a person to be ascertained are public information.  (D) Except as necessary to carry out the review team's purposes and duties, members of the committee and persons attending their meeting may not disclose what transpired at a meeting and may not disclose information, the disclosure of which is prohibited by this section.  (E) Members of the Child Fatality Review Team, persons attending a committee meeting, and persons who present information to the review team may not be required to disclose in any civil or criminal proceeding information presented in or opinions formed as a result of a meeting, except that information available from other sources is not immune from introduction into evidence through those sources solely because it was presented during proceedings of the committee or department or because it is maintained by the committee or department. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to prevent a person from testifying to information obtained independently of the committee or which is public information.  (F) All information, documents, and records of the Child Fatality Review team, records acquired by the review team, and records prepared by the review team are not subject to subpoena, discovery, or the Freedom of Information Act, except that information, documents, and records otherwise available from other sources are not immune from subpoena, discovery, or the Freedom of Information Act through those sources solely because they were presented during proceedings of the committee or department or because they are maintained by the committee or department.  (G) Violation of this section is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, a person must be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.  HISTORY: 2018 Act No. 183 (S.170), Section 5, eff May 17, 2018.
SC Code § 17-5-550 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-550. Coroner or medical examiner may petition for warrant to inspect home of child whose death occurred elsewhere.

 If the home or premises last inhabited by a child is not the scene of the death of a child, the coroner or medical examiner, while conducting an investigation of the death, may petition the local magistrate of the appropriate judicial circuit for a warrant to inspect the home or premises inhabited by the deceased before death. The local magistrate must issue the inspection warrant upon probable cause to believe that events in the home or premises may have contributed to the death of the child.  HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 73, Section 1.
SC Code § 17-5-555 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-555. Reporting certain deaths of vulnerable adults.

 (A) The coroner or medical examiner, within twenty- four hours or one working day, whichever occurs first, must notify the Vulnerable Adults Investigations Unit of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division or appropriate law enforcement when a vulnerable adult dies in the county he serves:  (1) as a result of violence, when unattended by a physician, and in any suspicious or unusual manner; or  (2) when the death is unexpected and unexplained.  (B) If the home or premises last inhabited by a vulnerable adult is not the scene of the death of the vulnerable adult, the coroner or medical examiner, while conducting an investigation of the death, may petition the local magistrate of the appropriate judicial circuit for a warrant to inspect the home or premises inhabited by the deceased before death. The local magistrate must issue the inspection warrant upon probable cause to believe that events in the home or premises may have contributed to the death of the vulnerable adult.  (C) For purposes of this section:  (1) "vulnerable adult" has the same meaning as defined in Section 43-35-10(11);  (2) a vulnerable adult is not considered to be "unattended by a physician" when a physician has, before death, provided diagnosis and treatment following a fatal injury;  (3) "unexpected death" includes all vulnerable adult deaths that, before investigation, appear possibly to have been caused by trauma, suspicious, or obscure circumstances, or abuse or neglect.  HISTORY: 2006 Act No. 301, Section 10, eff May 23, 2006.
SC Code § 17-5-560 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-560. Certification of cause of death on death certificate.

 (A) The coroner, deputy coroner, medical examiner, or deputy medical examiner must, in any case investigated, complete and sign the medical certification portion of the death certificate within twenty-four hours after being notified of the death.  (B) The coroner or medical examiner must, at the time of releasing a body to a funeral director or person acting as a funeral director, or as soon as practical after releasing the body, execute and sign the medical certification of the cause of death on the prescribed form.  (C) In any case where autopsy is scheduled and the coroner or medical examiner wishes to await its gross findings to confirm a tentative clinical finding, the coroner or medical examiner must give the funeral director notice as to when he expects to have the medical data necessary for the certification of cause of death. If the certificate cannot be signed within the prescribed time set forth, the coroner or medical examiner must indicate that the cause of death is pending and sign the certification accordingly. Immediately after the medical data necessary for determining the cause of death has been made known, the coroner or medical examiner must, over his signature, forward the cause of death to the registrar and notify the funeral director involved that this action has been taken.  (D) As used in this section, the terms "sign", " signed", or "signature" mean a written signature or an electronic signature authorized in the Electronic Commerce Act, Chapter 5, Title 26.  HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 73, Section 1; 2002 Act No. 272, Section 1, eff May 28, 2002.
SC Code § 17-5-580 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-580. Authorization for removal of dead body; penalties; coroner's jury.

 (A)(1) It is unlawful for any person to move or authorize removal of a body from the place where the body is found until the investigation is completed and the removal is authorized by the coroner, deputy coroner, medical examiner, or deputy medical examiner in charge.  (2) It is unlawful for any person to move or transport a body across the county line until the investigation of the case, the post-mortem examination, or autopsy is complete and until removal of the body is authorized by the coroner or medical examiner or one of the coroner's or medical examiner's designated assistants.  (3) Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than sixty days, or both.  (B) No coroner's jury may be impaneled until the investigation is completed and copies of the reports of the county medical examiner and peace officer in charge are received by the coroner. The jury is not required to view the body.  HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 73, Section 1.
SC Code § 17-5-590 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-590. Disposition of remains of unidentified dead bodies.

 If the body of a dead person is unidentifiable, the remains may not be cremated for at least thirty days. The coroner or medical examiner must have the remains buried or interred in a cemetery in the county in which the remains were found.  HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 73, Section 1.
SC Code § 17-5-600 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-600. Permit required for cremation.

 When the body of any dead person who died in the county is to be cremated, the person who has requested the cremation must secure a permit for the cremation from the coroner, deputy coroner, medical examiner, or deputy medical examiner. A person who wilfully fails to secure a permit for cremation is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than twenty dollars and not more than five hundred dollars. A permit for cremation promptly must be acted upon by the coroner or medical examiner.  HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 73, Section 1.
SC Code § 17-5-610 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners|Section 17-5-610. Duty to notify coroner or medical examiner in certain cases when body is buried without investigation.

 If in a case of sudden, violent, or suspicious death a body is buried without an investigation by the coroner or medical examiner, a person having knowledge of this fact must notify the coroner or the medical examiner.  HISTORY: 2001 Act No. 73, Section 1.
SC Code § 17-7-10 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-10. Coroners or solicitors shall order autopsies; autopsy to be ordered upon death of persons in penal institutions.

 The coroner of the county in which a body is found dead or the solicitor of the judicial circuit in which the county lies shall order an autopsy or post-mortem examination to be conducted to ascertain the cause of death. If any person dies while detained, incarcerated, or under the jurisdiction of a municipal, county, or regional holdover facility, holding cell, overnight lockup or jail, a county or regional prison camp, or a state correctional facility, the coroner of the county in which the death occurs or, should that be unknown, the county in which the institution is located shall order an autopsy immediately upon notification of the death. However, if the official in charge of the institution is unable to arrange an autopsy within the State of South Carolina, he shall provide the coroner with an affidavit attesting to this inability.  In this event, the coroner shall consult with the physician who pronounced death, and, if not the same, with any other physician who is known to have treated the person within twelve months prior to his death. If the deceased person had a previously diagnosed contagious, terminal illness or condition which is considered to be the reason for death, written confirmation must be obtained from at least two physicians who attended him prior to his death, and at least one of these physicians may not have been employed by or under contract with the institution or agency which was responsible for custody of the deceased person.  The coroner may then determine that an autopsy is not required, and shall so certify in writing. Nevertheless, if the coroner decides that an autopsy is appropriate, he may order that one be arranged outside the State of South Carolina. Documentation of the death, the circumstances surrounding it, and all subsequent actions and decisions regarding the autopsy must be filed with the Jail and Prison Inspection Division of the Department of Corrections according to Section 24-9-35.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-90; 1955 (49) 189; 1961 (52) 278; 1980 Act No. 512, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 116, Section 1.
SC Code § 17-7-15 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-15. Return of body after autopsy or medical examination.

 Whenever any county, state or municipal law enforcement agency transports a human body to a medical facility for autopsy or other medical examination to determine the cause of death, the law enforcement agency which ordered such medical examination shall provide for the return transportation of the body to the next of kin of the deceased if they reside within the State. The provisions of this section shall also apply to coroners and solicitors.  HISTORY: 1979 Act No. 28.
SC Code § 17-7-20 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-20. Requirement of preliminary examination before formal inquest; issuance of burial permit, conclusion of inquiry or formal inquest.

 Whenever a body is found dead and an investigation or inquest is deemed advisable the coroner or the magistrate acting as coroner, as the case may be, shall go to the body and examine the witnesses most likely to be able to explain the cause of death, take their testimony in writing and decide for himself whether there ought to be a trial or whether blame probably attaches to any living person for the death, and if so and if he shall receive the written request, if any, required by Section 17-7-50, he shall proceed to summon a jury and hold a formal inquest as required by law. But if there be, in his judgment, no apparent or probable blame against living persons as to the death he shall issue a burial permit and all further inquiry or formal inquest shall be dispensed with. Provided, however, that the coroner of Charleston County is authorized and empowered to issue a death certificate.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-91; 1952 Code Section 17-91; 1942 Code Section 1097; 1932 Code Section 1097; Cr. P. '22 Section 184; Cr. C. '12 Section 1027; Cr. C. '02 Section 729; 1894 (21) 825; 1964 (53) 2367.
SC Code § 17-7-25 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-25. Autopsy on unidentified body; preservation of DNA samples.

 A coroner performing an autopsy on an unidentified body must obtain tissue and fluid samples suitable for DNA identification, typing, and testing. The samples must be transmitted to the State Law Enforcement Division.  HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 413, Section 3.D, eff October 21, 2008.  Editor's Note  2008 Act No. 413, Section 3.A provides as follows:  "This SECTION may be referred to and cited as the 'Unidentified Human Remains DNA Database Act'."  2008 Act No. 413, Section 7 provides as follows:  "The provisions of Section 17-28-350 become effective upon the signature of the Governor. All other provisions become effective January 1, 2009. The enactment of these provisions prior to the effective date indicates the intent of the General Assembly that statewide laws or practices shall exist to ensure additional procedures for post-conviction DNA testing, and proper preservation of biological evidence connected to murder, rape, and nonnegligent homicide in order that application for available federal funds shall be made by the appropriate agencies and considered by the appropriate federal agencies prior to the effective date."
SC Code § 17-7-30 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-30. Findings on preliminary examination and filing of evidence.

 The evidence and the finding of the officer on such preliminary examination shall be filed in the clerk's office of the county, the finding to be that deceased came to death (a) from natural cause, (b) at his own hand, (c) from an act of God or (d) from mischance, without blame on the part of another person.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-92; 1952 Code Section 17-92; 1942 Code Section 1097; 1932 Code Section 1097; Cr. P. '22 Section 184; Cr. C. '12 Section 1027; Cr. C. '02 Section 729; 1884 (21) 825.
SC Code § 17-7-40 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-40. Fees for preliminary examination.

 For such preliminary examination such officer shall receive the same fees paid in the same way as a magistrate for any ordinary preliminary examination in a criminal case, except that in counties in which the coroner receives a salary no fees shall be allowed to any officer for services in such preliminary examination.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-93; 1952 Code Section 17-93; 1942 Code Section 1097; 1932 Code Section 1097; Cr. P. '22 Section 184; Cr. C. '12 Section 1027; Cr. C. '02 Section 729; 1884 (21) 825.
SC Code § 17-7-70 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-70. Jurisdiction of coroners to take inquests.

 Subject to the provisions of Sections 17-7-20 to 17-7-40 every coroner, within the county for which he has been elected or appointed, may take inquest of casual or violent deaths when the dead body is lying within his county. Provided, however, if a person is injured in one county but removed to another county for medical purposes, the coroner of the county where the injury occurred shall have jurisdiction.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-96; 1952 Code Section 17-96; 1942 Code Section 3561; 1932 Code Section 3561; Civ. C. '22 Section 2106; Civ. C. '12 Section 1285; Civ. C. '02 Section 887; G. S. 711; R. S. 758; 1839 (11) 72; 1874 (15) 529; 1911 (27) 160; 1969 (56) 93.
SC Code § 17-7-80 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-80. Duties of coroner concerning motor vehicle, swimming, or boating accident deaths.

 Every coroner or other official responsible for performing the duties of coroner shall examine the body within eight hours of death of any driver and any pedestrian, sixteen years old or older, who dies within four hours of a motor vehicle accident or any swimmer or boat occupant who dies within four hours of a boating accident, and take or cause to have taken by a qualified person such blood or other fluids of the victim as are necessary to a determination of the presence and percentages of alcohol or drugs. Such blood or other fluids shall be forwarded to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division within five days after the accident in accordance with procedures established by the Law Enforcement Division.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-96.1; 1974 (58) 2846; 1975 (59) 171.
SC Code § 17-7-90 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-90. Persons subject to jury duty are liable to serve on an inquest.

 All persons subject to jury duty in the circuit courts shall be liable to serve as jurors on an inquest on a dead body found within their county.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-97; 1952 Code Section 17-97; 1942 Code Section 1069; 1932 Code Section 1069; Cr. P. '22 Section 156; Cr. C. '12 Section 1001; Cr. C. '02 Section 703; G. S. 2666; R. S. 582; 1839 (11) 72.
SC Code § 17-7-100 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-100. Mode of summoning a jury.

 When the coroner upon the required preliminary examination shall determine that a formal inquest shall be held he shall make out his warrant directed to all or any of the constables of his county or to the sheriff of his county, requiring them or any of them forthwith to summon a jury of fourteen men of the county within a radius of ten miles to appear before him at the time and place specified in the warrant.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-98; 1952 Code Section 17-98; 1942 Code Section 3572; 1932 Code Section 3573; 1931 (37) 229.
SC Code § 17-7-110 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-110. Procedures to be followed by person directed to summon jury; compensation.

 The sheriff, deputy sheriff or magistrates' constable who shall be designated and directed to summon a jury of inquest as provided in Section 17-7-100 shall forthwith summon such jury of inquest as directed by the coroner and shall not receive any additional compensation for such services. Any private citizen who shall be appointed and directed by the coroner to summon a jury of inquest shall forthwith summon such jury of inquest as directed and shall receive the sum of one dollar for such services and the voucher for such services must show that such private citizen was appointed according to the provisions of Section 17-7-100.  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-100; 1952 Code Section 17-100; 1942 Code Section 3572; 1932 Code Section 3573; 1931 (37) 229.
SC Code § 17-7-120 (2021)
2021 South Carolina Code of Laws|Title 17 - Criminal Procedures|Chapter 7 - Autopsies And Inquest On The Dead|Section 17-7-120. Form of warrant to summon jury.

 The warrant to summon a jury shall be in this form:  "The State of South Carolina,  To the sheriff (or to any constable or constables, as the case may be), of __________ County, greeting:  These are to require you, immediately on receipt and sight hereof, to summon and warn, verbally or otherwise, fourteen men of said county to be and appear before me, the coroner of said county, at __________ within said county, between the hours of ___ and ___ o'clock on the ___ day of __________, then and there to inquire, upon the view of a body of a certain person there lying dead, how he came to his death. Fail not herein, as you will answer the contrary at your peril.  Given under my hand and seal, at __________, this ___ day of ___, A. D. __________, by me.  A. B. [L. S.]  Coroner for __________ County."  HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-101; 1952 Code Section 17-101; 1942 Code Section 1067; 1932 Code Section 1067; Cr. P. '22 Section 154; Cr. C. '12 Section 999; Cr. C. '02 Section 701; G. S. 2664; R. S. 580; 1839 (11) 72; 1875 (15) 8.