I believe this is a necessary document when a person dies in one country,or state, and is going to be buried in another state. I know that when my Father died in Fla.,in 1998;even thougth the remains were cremated we had to get one to bury his urn in Mass. I believe there is also a old set of health regulations involved from back when communicable diseases could be spread by moving bodies from state to state etc.As in everthing in life from the moment of birth to death someone always wants legal documentation. I guess it also prevents someone burying someone who was not leagally declared dead, or possibly murdered. I know that when I forgot to leave the document at the gravesite, they wouldn't interr the remains without the document in hand, another legal hassle. Wayne