Bierig J R
Sidley & Austin, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Clin Lab Med. 1998 Mar;18(1):139-50.
The doctrine of sovereign or official immunity has protected medical examiners in cases alleging negligent performance of the autopsy and in cases involving negligent harvesting of organs. It has not protected examiners in cases alleging performance of autopsy without authorization. The medical examiner, therefore, is well advised to determine whether there may be any objection by the next-of-kin to an autopsy and particularly any religious objection-and if there is such an objection, to proceed only after making contemporaneous and documented decision that there is a compelling need for the autopsy.
主权或官方豁免原则在指控尸检执行疏忽的案件以及涉及器官摘取疏忽的案件中保护了法医。但在指控未经授权进行尸检的案件中，该原则并未保护法医。因此，明智的做法是，法医要确定近亲是否可能反对尸检，特别是是否有任何宗教方面的反对意见——如果存在这样的反对意见，只有在同时做出并有文件记录表明有迫切需要进行尸检的决定后，才能继续进行。
