Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1967 NO. 3 >

(1) A county coroner has the same jurisdiction over deaths occurring on a navy base over which Congress and the state of Washington have concurrent legislative jurisdiction as he has with deaths occurring anywhere else in his county; however, the coroner's jurisdiction cannot be exercised on the base if his action will either interfere with the power of the United States to provide for the national defense (or any other federal power), or interfere with an exercise by Congress of its concurrent legislative jurisdiction over the area. (2) A county coroner has full jurisdiction over deaths of military personnel occurring within his county off such a navy base; however, in exercise of this jurisdiction the coroner cannot interfere with an exercise of the power of the United States to do all things necessary to provide for the national defense, etc. (3) A county coroner may enter into an agreement with the officials of such navy base to define the relationship of their respective powers over matters within the cognizance of the coroner. (4) A prosecuting attorney and a sheriff of a county have the same jurisdiction over crimes occurring on a navy base over which Congress and the state of Washington have concurrent legislative jurisdiction as they have elsewhere in their county, subject to the qualification that their jurisdiction cannot be exercised where their action would interfere with the power of the United States to provide for the national defense (or any other federal power) or interfere with an exercise by Congress of its concurrent legislative jurisdiction over the area.

AGO 1970 NO. 19 >

(1) The provisions of chapter 259, Laws of 1969, Ex. Sess.(RCW 36.24.175) do not operate so as presently to divest incumbent county coroners of their offices if they are owners or employees of a funeral home or mortuary.(2) Those county coroners presently holding office who are subject to the provisions of § 3, chapter 259, Laws of 1969, Ex. Sess. (RCW 36.24.175) will not be eligible to commence new terms of office in January, 1971, if they are owners or employees of a funeral home or mortuary at that time.(3) An owner or employee of a funeral home or mortuary, including an incumbent coroner, is eligible to file and run at the forthcoming 1970 election for the office of coroner in one of the counties affected by § 3, chapter 259, Laws of 1969, Ex. Sess.