Whose responsibility is it to ensure the deceased is identified correctly before burial?

Ensuring the deceased is identified correctly before burial falls under the responsibility of the funeral home. This obligation is critical because accurate identification is essential to uphold both the dignity of the deceased and the legal protocols around handling human remains. Funeral homes are considered the custodians of the body during the burial process, and they have established procedures and protocols to verify identities, such as requiring documents like a driver's license or identification card.

The local health department, family, and county clerk may play roles in different aspects of the funeral process—such as issuing permits or providing death certificates—but the ultimate responsibility for proper identification rests with the funeral home. This ensures that the deceased is treated with respect and that all legal requirements are adhered to before final disposition.