@article{ref1,
title="Confusing criminal and civil law: when may a hospital refuse to release a dead body?",
journal="Journal of law and medicine",
year="2014",
author="Gallagher, Steven B.",
volume="22",
number="2",
pages="387-397",
abstract="A United Kingdom bereavement advice group has expressed concern that hospitals in Britain may be acting &quot;illegally&quot; in refusing to release dead bodies to relatives unless they provide evidence that funeral arrangements have been made. In some cases, hospitals may have refused to release a body to anyone other than an undertaker. The charity argues that this behaviour constitutes the common law offence of preventing the lawful burial of a body. This article considers the confusion that may occur between this offence and interference with the right to possession of a body for lawful burial. The conclusion is that it is extremely unlikely a hospital or its employees would fall foul of the criminal law in refusing to release a dead body and may be liable in the civil courts if they release a body to someone who does not have the duty and consequent right to possession of the body for lawful burial.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1320-159X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}