Can an institution delay the release of a death certificate to the relatives until they have settled their financial obligations to the institution?

The funeral home or mortuary normally will assist the family to get the first death certificate. However, usually families must apply to and pay a fee to the State bureau of Vital Statistics to get a certified death certificate. This must be shown to take care of affairs of the deceased. Therefore, no institution can "delay" you getting a death certificate since hospitals and nursing homes are mandated by law to report deaths to the state Vital Statistics office. The estate executor is responsible to arrange financial payments, but this is a separate issue from getting a death certificate. Again, you MUST by law have the death certificate to file probate, discontinue or close accounts, retrieve monies from a deceased's bank account, etc. Call the State Health Department if an institution attempts to threatens to withhold death information from the State.