St Louis Business Daily

Do dead bodies count as intellectual property belonging to the dead people?

Some states apparently have the right to remove tissue and organs after you die without your consent. Does my dead body legally belong to me as part of my intellectual property, and can I draft my will or a legal document stating that I do not wish my organs or tissue removed for any purposes after my death? Will this document or will be legally binding and are their laws that can override my wishes?

Public Comments

1. No, because it's not a product of your intellect (such as a book, a sculpture, a poem, a song). But you can ask that your body be used after death as you wish.
2. It's not "intellectual property" - that refers to intellectual works like publications and software. It's somebody's PHYSICAL property - your heirs have the right to dispose of your body, in accordance with your Will or their wishes. The state has the right to perform an autopsy in some situations, but even that must be done with respect for your wishes and religious beliefs.
3. if no relatives claims body then no.