The JP was free to conduct the inquest where the body was found, where the death occurred, or "at any other place determined to be reasonable by the justice." Art. 49.05(b)(3).
In this case, the JP determined it was reasonable to conduct the inquest on the phone and without an autopsy. Again, based on who the decedent was, I disagree. Otherwise, that would be typical in a rural area.
Then the only thing his doctor could have said was that he expected Scalia to suddenly drop dead at any time.
Any other situation would have required an examination of the body.
And, given that he was a Spend Court Justice, the Justice Department should have claimed jurisdiction and ordered an autopsy. White House silence on this matter is nothing other than complicitly clouding the waters.
David Beebe is the Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1. He explains how the request for county personnel to pronounce Scalia dead - first fell to Juanita Bishop, the J.P. for Precinct 2.
Beebe said, ‘The other justice of the peace from the County who covers the area of Cibolo Creek Ranch, where the dead body was found, called me to see if I could cover for her area, because she was out of town. I was on my way to the candidate forum in Alpine, so I said “Well, no, I’m already busy.” So she said “Alright I’ll handle it later.” At that point she apparently contacted County judge Cinderella Guevara, who’s able to do these inquests when we are not.’
Judge Guevara was also busy - but she DID handle the inquest - over the phone - pronouncing Justice Scalia dead just before 2 PM.
http://marfapublicradio.org/blog/pronouncing-a-supreme-court-justice-dead-in-west-texas/