Opinion No.

Office of the Attorney General — State of Texas John Cornyn The Honorable Charles D. Penick Bastrop County Criminal District Attorney 804 Pecan Street Bastrop, Texas 78602

Re: Whether an autopsy report may be withheld from the public if a prosecutor determines that its release could hinder a murder investigation (RQ-0511-JC)

Dear Mr. Penick:

You ask if there is any provision of law that would prevent public inspection of an autopsy report held by a justice of the peace, where disclosure would hinder the investigation or prosecution of a serious offense.1 Autopsy reports held by a justice of the…