AGO Opinion Topics: JURISDICTION NAVY BASE SUBJECT CONCURRENT JURISDICTION CONGRESS AND STATE

(1) A county coroner has the same jurisdiction over deaths occurring on a navy base over which Congress and the state of Washington have concurrent legislative jurisdiction as he has with deaths occurring anywhere else in his county; however, the coroner's jurisdiction cannot be exercised on the base if his action will either interfere with the power of the United States to provide for the national defense (or any other federal power), or interfere with an exercise by Congress of its concurrent legislative jurisdiction over the area. (2) A county coroner has full jurisdiction over deaths of military personnel occurring within his county off such a navy base; however, in exercise of this jurisdiction the coroner cannot interfere with an exercise of the power of the United States to do all things necessary to provide for the national defense, etc. (3) A county coroner may enter into an agreement with the officials of such navy base to define the relationship of their respective powers over matters within the cognizance of the coroner. (4) A prosecuting attorney and a sheriff of a county have the same jurisdiction over crimes occurring on a navy base over which Congress and the state of Washington have concurrent legislative jurisdiction as they have elsewhere in their county, subject to the qualification that their jurisdiction cannot be exercised where their action would interfere with the power of the United States to provide for the national defense (or any other federal power) or interfere with an exercise by Congress of its concurrent legislative jurisdiction over the area.