About the Coroner

Timothy J. Davidson was appointed as Coroner in February 2006, and later elected as Coroner in November of 2006. Tim has provided 16 years of public service to the citizens of Cowlitz County, with 15 years of law enforcement experience, and over six years of service within the Coroner’s Office. As County Coroner, Tim’s goal is to conduct professional medicolegal death investigations to determine the cause, mechanism, and manner of death, in cases where the Coroner has jurisdiction. This will be accomplished within the most cost-effective methods available. The statistics that are complied for annual reports provide the public, health agencies, and law enforcement agencies with valuable information.

The Coroner is elected by the people of Cowlitz County and serves every city and unincorporated area within the county as authorized by Washington State Law.  The coroner investigates, certifies and determines the cause and clarifies circumstances surrounding or pertaining to deaths within appropriate jurisdiction.

Death is the most important legal event for all human beings. When it occurs, all legal rights and duties devolving upon the person during his life span in a civilized jurisdiction are terminated. All persons with whom the deceased had legal relations at that moment in time are also directly affected by the occurrence of death. Moreover, both the deceased and the survivors may be greatly affected legally by how death occurred, what actually happened, why it occurred, and precisely when it occurred. Above all, who died must be absolutely determined, and where death occurred is positively required for legal jurisdiction over the descendent is based upon a geographical location. The law becomes extremely active when a person dies. Wealth is redistributed. Contracts are altered. A wrongful death may give rise to tortious claims. Tax obligations are always present. Public social benefits and private insurance policies are paid. Criminal laws may be involved. Creditors must be satisfied, and debtors located. Spouse and children, heirs and next-of-kin have their attachments rearranged. It is not surprising that for centuries the sovereign state has had a crucial interest in the death of its subjects or citizens. The Office of the Coroner, or the Office of Medical Examiner, along with the state-licensed physician is legally charged with significant duties answering the pertinent questions relating to death: Who, Where, When, What, How, Why. Only when these questions have been answered correctly can all the proper legal issues arising at death be effectively handled for the proper administration of justice.