PORT ANGELES – Clallam County is working to ensure uninterrupted coroner services following a Washington State Attorney General’s opinion that county prosecutors can no longer perform coroner duties starting January 1st.
The ruling, issued in August after an 18-month review, states that prosecutors cannot serve as coroners and still practice law.
Clallam County Prosecutor Mark Nichols, who currently acts as coroner under the county charter, notified commissioners in September that means he must step down as ex-officio coroner by year-end.
“This is something that has occurred unexpectedly. I want to clarify that it wasn’t due to a lack of planning or a situation where we should have known better. I haven’t met anyone who anticipated the Attorney General would issue an opinion in this way it did,” Nichols said on Newsradio KONP’s Todd Ortloff Show.
County commissioners were briefed on temporary solutions this week. One option includes appointing a district court judge to serve as interim coroner until a permanent system is established. The 2025 Charter Review Commission is expected to propose a long-term plan, possibly creating a separate coroner’s office through voter approval.
“Fortunately, some years ago, I began considering the possibility that these two functions would eventually decouple. I always assumed this change would happen through the charter review commission advancing a ballot measure to county voters, as I believe such changes are best made through an organic process. However, the Attorney General’s opinion has effectively accelerated the timeline by at least a year,” said Nichols.
Nichols said preparations for a standalone coroner division have been underway for some time.
“We now have two additional certified forensic medicolegal death investigators who are trained and certified at a higher level than ever before in our county’s history. Over the past year, the county supported the acquisition of our first-ever coroner vehicle. The infrastructure is in place, and the personnel and human capital resources are certified at the level required.”
Commissioners plan to discuss options further in the coming days and finalize a solution to meet the January 1 deadline.