ISSN: 2044-9038 (Print) 2044-9046 (Electronic)

Clinical Practice

Forensic Pathology Open Access Articles

Forensic pathology is that the part of forensic pathology handling examination of deceased persons, and this is often the main target of this chapter. In the following, some general principles of the work in forensic pathology are presented. Although the legislation regarding forensic pathology differs between countries, a common principle is that in the investigation of a possible or suspected criminal death, a forensic pathologist is engaged through a formal request from the police or the prosecutor. The task of the forensic pathologist is then to help within the investigation as a doctor. This expert role continues throughout the process, including the court proceedings on request of the court and/or one of the parties. Thetask is to function as a medical expert for justice, not primarily to support one among the parties within the trial. Hence, the role of the forensic pathologist within the reference to the examined person is clearly completely different from the role of the clinical doctor in his/her reference to the patient, where the physician often becomes an advocate for the patient. The main role of the forensic pathologist is to practise and to mediate a scientific approach to the medical issues raised during a legal context involving death.    

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