Where in the statutes is the familys right to serve as its own funeral director protected?
A family’s right to serve as its own funeral director would have to be specifically restricted since the powers of the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service are limited to regulating funeral directing as a paid profession only. This can be liked to cutting hair: You are free to cut your family members’ hair or the hair of a friend without a license, but if you intend to earn income from cutting hair, you would first have to obtain a license to practice cosmetology. However, the family’s right to serve as its own funeral director is implied in 130A‑420, which grants any individual at least 18 years old the authority to determine the method of disposition pursuant to authorizations contained in a written will, other written statement or a health care power of attorney. In addition, 130A‑112 uses the phrase “a funeral director of person acting as such who first assumes custody of a body” which assumes that an individual other than a licensed funeral director can serve as a funeral direc
