A branch of medicine concerned with determining the cause of deaths usually for civil or criminal law cases: Floyd thought that forensic pathology sounded very exciting and decided to specialize in this field of work.

The forensic pathologist performs autopsies to determine the cause of a death, such as examining a bullet wound to the head, exsanguination, strangulation, etc. and the manner of a death (including homicide, accident, natural, or suicide).

Forensic pathologists also work closely with the coroner (England and Wales) or medical examiner (United States). The examination of dead bodies (autopsy or post mortem) is a subset of anatomical pathology.

Forensic pathologists are often also known as forensic medical examiners or police surgeons.