Forensic Disciplines and Methods

Forensic Pathology

Citation Formats

General Reference

Crime and Justice Atlas. "Forensic Pathology." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://crime.interactiveatlas.org/forensic-disciplines/forensic-pathology.

APA Style

Crime and Justice Atlas. (n.d.). Forensic Pathology. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://crime.interactiveatlas.org/forensic-disciplines/forensic-pathology

BibTeX

@misc{crimeandjusticeatlas-forensic-pathology,
  author = {Crime and Justice Atlas},
  title = {Forensic Pathology},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://crime.interactiveatlas.org/forensic-disciplines/forensic-pathology},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

The medical discipline that determines the cause and manner of death, typically through autopsy, in cases of legal interest.

Facts

What It Examines

Human remains, through autopsy and related examination, to establish the cause, manner and, where possible, time of death. 1

Formalized Year

1918 2

the subject's own accountDates to Charles Norris becoming the first Chief Medical Examiner of New York City in 1918, widely credited with establishing the modern, physician-led medical examiner model in the United States.

Known Limitationthe subject's own account

Cause and manner of death determinations rest on the pathologist's interpretation of autopsy findings and available case information, and cognitive bias can unconsciously influence that judgment. 2

Cross-Tradition Connections