Looking for web sites about burial laws....?

Question

I'd like to look up the laws about burials (for humans). Specifically Idaho, but I do have other states of interest to me.

I know it is illegal for people to prepare their dead for burial in 5 states (mostly on the East Coast).

In other states it is legal, even to bury your own dead.

I realize this is a morbid topic for some, but others like myself have a desire to perform the final honors and care of their family members themselves.

Every time I try and look up the laws, I just keep finding web sites about Native American burials...I do not need information on that, since I'm not an Indian.

Links are much appreciated.

Answer 1

Interesting ones here, but I think perhaps sending an email would yield best results. I would try the first link, even if they do not have the information to hand I think they will be able to point you in the right direction.

http://www.iccfa.com/

http://bojack.org/2007/12/another_green_...

See Natural Death Handbook understand it discusses legislation too

http://www.globalideasbank.org/greenburi...

Answer 2

Ok...here's what I found:  This article reads as though this man is consolidating volumes of information, and there is contact information:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Funerals---Do-...

Funerals&id=147171

This book is very inexpensive and can be ordered online:

Dealing Creatively with Death — A Manual of Death Education and Simple Burial by Ernest Morgan

Northern Indiana Amish make these caskets for a FRACTION of what you'll pay the funeral home:

http://wisebuycaskets.com/wisebuycaskets...

When my stepfather passed at home, we held an informal "viewing" that evening for the Amish neighbors to come pay their respects.  It was unusual for us, but the norm for them.  Wakes and funerals are held in the home.

Answer 3

The Idaho legislature maintains a searchable website for Idaho Statutes, the link is first, below. I put in "interment", "burial", "plat", and got plenty of results, I breezed through and found a few of interest. which are the links below the first one.

My family buried my Grandmother on her own land in North Carolina in 1969. I was only 16 at the time, so I don't know how my family arranged it, but I think they had to create a "plat" recorded with the state, and more importantly, the county. If I were you I'd go down to your county recorders office and ask about creating cemetery plats on private land.

Also a good way to find out about it is to ask a minister in your area, another person is your lawyer if you have one, and also to inquire at the county court house about what the legal process of burial entails. Good luck, and I hope you don't need the info anytime soon.... here are those links:

http://www3.state.id.us/legislat/idstat....

http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/newidst?...

http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/newidst?...

http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/newidst?...

Answer 4

http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2004/afamilyun...

Interesting task you are wondering about..here's another interesting fact....California considers disposition of cremated ashes complete when they are handed over to the next of kin...and they also lifted the restriction of scatering and burial of such ashes...they can be placed anywhere in California as long as permission fro property owners and the park rangers allow it.

But for some health reasons disposition of a coplete corpse could be considered ..umm unhealthy.

Answer 5

Would kinda have to look state by state,,,

search (whatever-state) mortuary laws

Found a pretty exhaustive DB here:

http://www.funeralplan.com/funeralplan/c...

Is kinda old I guess,,some of the links are broken,,

There is BIG $s in death.

Is like, Death is our business, and business is good.

I always liked John Prines take on it:

Please Don't Bury Me

©John Prine

    Woke up this morning

    Put on my slippers

    Walked in the kitchen and died

    And oh what a feeling!

    When my soul

    Went thru the ceiling

    And on up into heaven I did ride

    When I got there they did say

    John, it happened this way

    You slipped upon the floor

    And hit your head

    And all the angels say

    Just before you passed away

    These were the very last words

    That you said:

    Chorus:

    Please don't bury me

    Down in that cold cold ground

    No, I'd druther have "em" cut me up

    And pass me all around

    Throw my brain in a hurricane

    And the blind can have my eyes

    And the deaf can take both of my ears

    If they don't mind the size

    Give my stomach to Milwaukee

    If they run out of beer

    Put my socks in a cedar box

    Just get "em" out of here

    Venus de Milo can have my arms

    Look out! I've got your nose

    Sell my heart to the junkman

    And give my love to Rose

    Repeat Chorus

    Give my feet to the footloose

    Careless, fancy free

    Give my knees to the needy

    Don't pull that stuff on me

    Hand me down my walking cane

    It's a sin to tell a lie

    Send my mouth way down south

    And kiss my *** goodbye

    Repeat Chorus

Answer 6

policies http://www.google.com/custom?hl=en&clien...

laws here http://www.google.com/custom?hl=en&clien...

Answer 7

http://www.boiseweekly.com/gyrobase/Cont...

I found the above link.  I think it's actually from a newspaper article in the Boise Weekly, but it's concerning the rights/ability of people to bury people on their own property.

If you go down to the section titled "Visionary", there's information there, about 3/4ths of the way down.  There are also links at the bottom of the page for more information.

You know, this is really a very interesting question!  I've heard that most states won't allow you to scatter someone's ashes if they've been creamated, and I always wondered why.  The temperature it takes to incinerate a body is high enough to kill any diseases a person might have, so if Aunt Edna wants to travel the globe on the jet stream when she dies, why not grant her dying wish?

Anyway, I hope that helps some!