JUDICIAL SERVICES
The judicial service intervenes when the cause of death is unknown. In this situation, the doctor does not have a clear answer regarding the event and cannot certify the death; in this case, the death becomes judicial.
As the death of the person cannot be certified, it is impossible to register them in the Civil Registry. Therefore, in these situations, specific steps must be followed as established by the judicial order of the country of residence.
Among the cases of legal deaths, we can find accidents, sudden deaths, or criminal actions. In these situations, the court takes charge of the matter by following a series of guidelines. The first thing they do is order the transfer of the deceased to the Forensic Anatomical Institute designated for that autonomous community. At this institute, an autopsy is conducted to determine the exact cause of death of the deceased.
Thanks to the autopsy, we will know exactly the causes of death, and depending on the results, the process may continue to be judicial, or the family of the deceased will be allowed to carry out a regular burial service.
If the family wishes to cremate the body of the deceased, approval from the court will be required, which has the right to grant or deny the request. This does not depend on the family, as the final decision rests with the court in these situations.