Proposed Embert's Law aims to raise medical qualifications for Georgia coroners

Embert’s Act targets Georgia coroner requirements

High-profile allegations of structural mismanagement inside local death investigations have sparked an intense statewide push to completely overhaul the baseline qualifications required to hold the office of county coroner in Georgia. The sweeping legislative campaign, championed by a grieving family who spent more than a decade fighting to overturn a botched death ruling, aims to mandate standardized medical backgrounds for elected death investigators.

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - State lawmakers are weighing a major overhaul of qualification standards after several high-profile death investigation controversies sparked outrage from local families. 

Georgia coroner standards

What we know:

A proposed law called the Embert Investigative Integrity and Victim's Act would require all Georgia coroners to possess professional backgrounds in law enforcement, medicine or forensic science. The legislation would establish standardized protocols for violent or suspicious deaths and mandate that cases be escalated whenever conflicting evidence emerges. 

The push follows the 2014 death of William Embert in Dougherty County, which authorities initially ruled a suicide before a jury convicted his wife, Susan Embert, of murder in January. Activists say the lack of standard protocols and medical backing allowed the crime to go uninvestigated for years until a private investigator uncovered the truth. 

Douglasville office scrutiny

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet confirmed when state Sen. Rick Williams will formally introduce the bill as he continues working with the GBI to gather input. Williams emphasized that lawmakers need to thoroughly vet the proposal and review policies in other states before drafting final legislation. 

It remains unclear what specific penalties or timelines the proposed overhaul would impose on non-compliant counties. Meanwhile, the Douglas County coroner's office remains under investigation for alleged mismanagement, though investigators have not released details regarding the full scope of the probe. 

Local families react

What they're saying:

"So it's time for change. And. God willing, you know, Emberts's law will pass," Rachel Embert said, explaining that coroners should have medical backing and standards to hold office. 

Local resident Stephanie Lewallen, whose ex-husband's death was ruled a suicide, expressed similar frustration with conflicting death certificates and missing photographs. "It was complete incompetence," Lewallen said, adding that "had that been law, when my ex-husband was killed, we wouldn't be here today. We would have gotten our autopsy."