Form MEO-626, listed by Anoka County as Authorization for Release of Records- Attorney/ Insurance requests, is a written authorization headed "Legal Next-of-Kin Authorization Form." With it, a decedent's next-of-kin (or a court-appointed trustee) authorizes the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office to release specific items to a named facility. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published by Anoka County at the official link below.
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What is MEO-626?
Authorization for Release of Records- Attorney/ Insurance requests is the title under which Anoka County lists Form MEO-626, a next-of-kin authorization that tells the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office which items it may release about a deceased person, and to whom.
The PDF itself is headed Legal Next-of-Kin Authorization Form and carries the code MEO-626 with the date 7/2024. It identifies the decedent by name, date of death and county of death. It then names the recipient: a facility name, an attention line, a mailing address, city, state and ZIP, a telephone number and a fax number. The signer lists the SPECIFIC ITEMS the office is authorized to release in the lines provided.
The form states that a fee may be assessed to the request; it prints no amount. It also states how long the authorization lasts: it expires upon the signer's written request or one year from the date of the signature, whichever is earliest.
Two signature blocks appear. The first is for the next-of-kin, who also enters the relationship to the decedent. The second is for a court-appointed trustee, who must include a copy of the court document. The form prints the email [email protected] for the office.
Who needs to file MEO-626?
The main group is the next-of-kin of a deceased person who wants the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office to release specific items to a facility, such as the recipient listed on the form. The next-of-kin signs the form, prints their name and states their relationship to the decedent.
When a court-appointed trustee signs the authorization for release of information instead, the form requires a copy of the court document to be included. The trustee signs in a separate block, prints their name, dates it and checks the box showing the court document is attached.
The form does not define who counts as next-of-kin and prints no other eligibility conditions or exclusions. If you are unsure whether you may sign, contact the office at the email address printed on the form, [email protected].
When to file MEO-626
Complete the form when you want the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office to release specific items about a decedent to a named recipient; no deadline is printed on it. The authorization has a built-in end date: it expires upon your written request or one year from the date of your signature, whichever is earliest. If the recipient still needs the items after that, a new authorization is needed. The form states that a fee may be assessed to the request, so ask the office about it before you send the form.
Documents you need
- A copy of the court document, only when a court-appointed trustee signs the authorization for release of information; the trustee also checks the box showing the copy is attached.
How to fill out MEO-626
Enter the decedent's name
In the Decedent line, write the full name of the deceased person.
Add date and county of death
Enter the Date of Death and the County of Death in the spaces provided.
Fill in the recipient's facility details
Under "To release to," enter the Facility Name and the Attention line. The authorization names the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office as the releasing party.
Enter the recipient's address and contacts
Write the Mailing Address, City, State, Zip, Telephone and Fax of the recipient.
List the specific items to release
On the lines after "The following," list each item you authorize the office to release. Be specific, and note the form says a fee may be assessed.
Review the expiration statement
Read the acknowledgment that the authorization expires upon your written request or one year from the date of your signature, whichever is earliest.
Sign as next-of-kin
Enter your signature, your Relationship to Decedent, your printed name and the date.
Complete the trustee block if needed
If a court-appointed trustee signs, add the trustee's signature, printed name and date, and check Copy of Court Document Attached. Leave the block empty if the next-of-kin signs.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check names, dates and the list of items, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and send it as described under How to submit.
How to submit MEO-626
The form does not name a delivery channel, mailing address or online portal. The only contact it prints is the email address [email protected], so contact the office there to confirm how it accepts the signed authorization.
Before sending it:
- Complete the decedent and recipient details and list the specific items.
- Sign and date it. If a court-appointed trustee signs, include a copy of the court document and check the box saying it is attached.
- Ask the office about the fee: the form says a fee may be assessed to the request and gives no amount.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the agency's channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the list of items vague: the form asks you to list SPECIFIC ITEMS the office is authorized to release.
- Having a court-appointed trustee sign without including a copy of the court document, which the form requires.
- Skipping the Relationship to Decedent line next to the next-of-kin signature.
- Forgetting the date of signature, which starts the one-year period after which the authorization expires.
- Assuming the authorization lasts indefinitely: it expires upon your written request or one year from your signature, whichever is earliest.
- Leaving out the date of death or county of death in the decedent block.
- Assuming release is free: the form states that a fee may be assessed to the request.
- Signing in both the next-of-kin and trustee blocks when only one signer applies.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form MEO-626 used for?
Form MEO-626 is a next-of-kin authorization for the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office. By signing it, you authorize the office to release specific items about a decedent to a named facility. The PDF is headed Legal Next-of-Kin Authorization Form.
Who can sign the Legal Next-of-Kin Authorization Form?
The decedent's next-of-kin signs and states their relationship to the decedent. A court-appointed trustee may sign in the separate trustee block, but must include a copy of the court document. The form gives no further definition of next-of-kin.
How long does the authorization last?
It expires upon your written request or one year from the date of your signature, whichever is earliest. The form prints this as an acknowledgment above the signature line, so the signing date matters.
Is there a fee to release the records?
The form says there may be a fee assessed to the request but prints no amount. Contact the office at [email protected], the email printed on the form, to ask about the fee before sending the authorization.
Where do I send Form MEO-626?
The form prints no mailing address or portal. The only contact on it is the email [email protected], so ask the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office there how it accepts the signed authorization.
What do I attach if a trustee signs?
A copy of the court document that appoints the trustee. The form says to include it when a court-appointed trustee signs, and the trustee block has a box to check showing the copy is attached.
Can I fill out Form MEO-626 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not send the form to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office or Anoka County; you deliver it through the office's own channels.
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