Our office receives occasional queries about our evidence and/or specimen retention schedule.
In order to remain accredited with the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), when we conduct a forensic autopsy we follow the College of American Pathologists recommendations that deal with retention of lab records and materials. The guidelines require us to keep tiny samples - which can be measured in grams - a minimum of 10 years. The majority of medical examiner offices, including ours, retain these tissues indefinitely. Minnesota Statutes control our ability to release the samples.
Case files are retained indefinitely.