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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70357</law_id><section_number>32.1-291.9</section_number><catch_line>Who may make anatomical gift of decedent&amp;#8217;s body or part</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>32.1-291.10</reference><reference>32.1-291.14</reference><reference>32.1-291.18</reference><reference>32.1-291.21</reference><reference>32.1-291.8</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="8">Postmortem Examinations and Services</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Anatomical Gifts</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Subject to subsections B and C and unless barred by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Refusal to make anatomical gift; effect of refusal" href="/32.1-291.7/">32.1-291.7</a> or <a class="law" title="Preclusive effect of anatomical gift, amendment, or revocation" href="/32.1-291.8/">32.1-291.8</a>, an anatomical gift of a decedent&#x2019;s body or part for purpose of transplantation, therapy, research, or education may be made by any member of the following classes of <span class="dictionary">persons</span> who is reasonably available, in the <span class="dictionary">order</span> of priority listed: <a id="paragraph-253971" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> An agent of the decedent at the time of death who could have made an anatomical gift under subdivision 2 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Who may make anatomical gift before donor's death" href="/32.1-291.4/">32.1-291.4</a> immediately before the decedent&#x2019;s death; <a id="paragraph-253972" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The <span class="dictionary">persons</span> who were acting as the guardians of the <span class="dictionary">person</span> of the decedent at the time of death; <a id="paragraph-253973" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The spouse of the decedent; <a id="paragraph-253974" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Adult children of the decedent; <a id="paragraph-253975" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Parents of the decedent; <a id="paragraph-253976" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Adult siblings of the decedent; <a id="paragraph-253977" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Adult grandchildren of the decedent; <a id="paragraph-253978" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A8" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> Grandparents of the decedent; <a id="paragraph-253979" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A9" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">9.</span> An adult who exhibited special care and concern for the decedent; and <a id="paragraph-253980" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A9"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A10" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">10.</span> Any other <span class="dictionary">person</span> having the authority to dispose of the decedent&#x2019;s body. <a id="paragraph-253981" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#A10"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If there is more than one member of a class listed in subdivisions A 1, A 2, A 4, A 5, A 6, A 7, or A 8 entitled to make an anatomical gift, an anatomical gift may be made by a member of the class unless that member or a <span class="dictionary">person</span> to which the gift may pass under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Persons that may receive anatomical gift; purpose of anatomical gift" href="/32.1-291.11/">32.1-291.11</a> knows of an objection by another member of the class. If an objection is known, the gift may be made only by those members who constitute at least 50 percent of the class who are reasonably available. <a id="paragraph-253982" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">person</span> may not make an anatomical gift if, at the time of the decedent&#x2019;s death, a <span class="dictionary">person</span> in a prior class under subsection A is reasonably available to make or to <span class="dictionary">object</span> to the making of an anatomical gift. <a id="paragraph-253983" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-291.9/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2007, cc. 92, 907.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
