Who is responsible for ensuring a body is buried or cremated within a reasonable time?

The funeral director holds the responsibility for ensuring that a body is buried or cremated within a reasonable time. This obligation stems from the funeral director's role in providing services after death, which includes the management of the deceased's remains in compliance with state laws and regulations.

The funeral director coordinates the necessary arrangements for the disposition of the body, which includes preparing the body, filing the appropriate paperwork, and working with facilities for burial or cremation. This also involves adhering to timelines that are often legally mandated, ensuring that the funeral services are conducted respectfully and efficiently.

In this context, although other parties may play supporting roles—such as the family making decisions or a cemetery managing plots—ultimately, it is the funeral director who has the professional responsibility and authority to ensure that all aspects of the burial or cremation are carried out in a timely and lawful manner.