I will add one more bit of "new" information to this thread, learned through the recent death of a brother-in-law. If the precise date and circumstances of death are not known at the time death is discovered (i.e., a person who is found days or even weeks after death occurs with no signs of violence), the newspaper publishes the date of discovery as the date of death. Since autopsy results take considerable time, this can result in the reported date of death being wrong by as many days as the person was actually deceased. Also, it may be necessary for the next of kin, or other informant for the death certificate, to make sure the death certificate waits for the autopsy.