Death, et seq.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 34: The Ancient Law of Death Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Tanya talks to Vivian Bolen about the law and death customs in Ancient Rome and Greece, and to Lillian Remler about death customs in Ancient Egypt. The echoes of this ancient law and these ancient practices can be felt in modern American law and social norms.

Episode 33: Burn, Bury or Biodegrade Me Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Tanya talks to her friend Holly Swenson, walking her through the options for the disposition of her remains (cremation, casket burial, green burial, water cremation, and human composting). They also discuss who has the right to legally make disposition decisions and how to document your preferences. The bottom line is: people should be armed with information about their funeral and disposition choices!

Episode 32: AI Memorialization and Digital Grief Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

Since emerging tools like AI memorialization, grief bots, and digital afterlife platforms can essentially allow us to virtually resurrect the dead, they can provide support during times of intense grief, but they also raise a host of legal and ethical issues. This week I talk to second year Wake Lake student Manjot Kaur about these technologies and the thorny issues they raise.

Episode 31: Military Burials with Professor Ellie Morales Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Tanya talks to Professor Ellie Morales, who directs the Veteran's Legal Clinic at Wake Forest Law School, about the funeral benefits available to service members and veterans, as well as the very important question of who qualifies as a "veteran" for the purpose of receiving benefits from the VA.

Episode 30: Cemetery GPR with Dr. David Leslie Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

Ground penetrating radar (or GPR) is one of the geophysical techniques that archaeologists like Dr. David Leslie of Terrasearch Geophysical use to image or map archaeological sites without disturbing the ground itself. This is particularly useful to assess sites that are suspected of containing graves, or to better understand the boundaries or extent of known cemeteries. In this episode, Tanya talks to Dr. Leslie about his work and the scientific techniques he employs. For more information on Dr. Leslie and his work, visit his website: https://terrasearchgeo.com/

Episode 29: Buying and Selling Human Remains Dec 29, 2025

Show notes

For more information about the laws at issue in the so-called "Harvard Morgue Case," check out my article in The Conversation.

Episode 28: The Wake Forest Law Review & The Future of Death Care Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

Will Boyce, the current Editor in Chief of The Wake Forest Law Review is the guest. He and Tanya discuss the legal scholarship created in connection with the Spring 2024 Symposium -- The Future of Death Care -- as well as explaining what law reviews are and how they work.

Episode 27: Cremation Fireworks Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

Wake Law Student Jannine Huby organized this episode. She explains how cremation fireworks work and introduces Jason Diemer and Clay Adams of Greenlawn Funeral Home in Springfield, Missouri, the only U.S. funeral home that offers customized cremation fireworks memorials.

Episode 26: Barbara Kemmis on Consumer Preferences in Death Care Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Tanya and Barbara Kemmis, the Executive Director of the Cremation Association of North America, discuss research conducted by Wake Forest University School of Law on consumer preferences in death care. The preliminary results of this research were recently published in The Cremationist magazine.

Episode 25: Multi-Jurisdictional Death with Bill Marsh Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Professor Tanya Marsh discusses the legal complexities of multi-jurisdictional death with her father, Professor Bill Marsh. They explain that ensuring one's wishes are followed after death involves navigating three types of state laws: the default "right of sepulcher" (which grants control to next of kin), appointing a "designated agent" to supplant that default list, and using "personal preference statutes" to specify desired outcomes, such as the method and location of disposition. A significant complication is that for funeral planning, the controlling law is that of the state where the remains are physically located, not the decedent's state of residence. Because states have different requirements (e.g., some require two witnesses, others a notary) and no universal "super form" exists, they advise creating a single declaration that is signed, witnessed by two unrelated adults, and notarized to maximize enforceability across states. The conversation also covers the domestic and international transport of remains, and how to navigate TSA, airline requirements, and the requirements of the receiving country.

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