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Board faults funeral home over 'funeral‑home copy' that implied a certified Vital Records document; director faces separate penalty
Summary
Following a complaint from the Department of Health, the board found a funeral home's internal copy of death certificates misleading because it used outdated/official-looking stationary and language; legal counsel recommended a $750 penalty for the establishment and a $250 penalty against the funeral director, and the board approved both recommendations.
The Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors on April 14 approved disciplinary recommendations after the Department of Health reported a funeral establishment was producing a funeral‑home copy that closely resembled Vital Records certified copies.
Counsel told the board that the version used by the respondent included authentic-looking stationary and a statement asserting the document was a "true and correct copy of the original certificate of death on file with the Tennessee Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Nashville, Tennessee," language that Vital Records says is not accurate for the funeral‑home copy in current circulation. Counsel recommended a $750 civil penalty against the establishment for violating professional conduct standards and misleading families.
"The statement on respondent's copy is incorrect as it is not a 'true and correct copy' because the death certificate has since been changed," counsel said in his summary to the board, noting that Vital Records had informed staff the version in use had been withdrawn from circulation approximately two years earlier.
Respondent told the board they had used an office copy and added a sworn statement and had not intentionally removed the registrar signature; they said they had not charged families for certified copies and would change procedures in light of the Department of Health’s concerns.
The board voted to accept counsel’s recommendation to impose a $750 civil penalty on the establishment. Counsel also presented a related complaint against the funeral director who certified the copies; the board approved a separate $250 civil penalty against the licensee.
Board members framed the matter as both a consumer‑protection and record‑integrity issue; counsel and staff said that Vital Records and the board maintain channels for correcting or obtaining certified copies and that misleading paperwork can create confusion for families and for state offices that process claims.
The board authorized consent orders in both matters and retained authority to hold formal hearings if circumstances change.
