What does it mean to Exhume a body?
The meaning of exhuming is according to Merriam-Webster dictionary is to unearth or disinter, usually a body. There are a few reasons why exhuming the corpse of a grave, some reasons are legal, and some are not so legal.
Illegal Reasons for Exhuming a Body
Since ancient time there were people that wanted to rob and pillage those who have died. Just to take the valuables that the loved ones have buried with the body of the deceased to make a few dollars on the items they have collected by selling them to others. Although there are moral and ethical issues with this, there are legal issues in the modern day with the exhuming and looting of the bodies of the dead who have been buried. These thieves do not want to exhume the body for the remains itself they are only there for the items such as gold, emeralds, diamonds, and valuables, and nothing more.
Legal Reasons for Exhuming a Body
As we have stated above with the way graverobbers exhume the body for illegal motives, there are reasons why exhuming a body would and could be done legally.
Some of the legal reasons for exhuming a body would be DNA testing, specific forensic investigations, medical investigations, and more. Although it is legal does not mean that it is easy to get the process done.
To exhume a body in most if not all states the person wanting to exhume must petition the court for this to take place. In most cases, if the reason is not justified the petition to exhume the remains of the body will be denied.