According to legal norms, who generally has the right to decent disposal of a dead body?

The legal right to the disposal of a dead body is typically held by the surviving spouse. This is grounded in the principle that the surviving spouse has the closest personal relationship with the deceased and is generally considered to have the strongest interest in the deceased's wishes regarding final arrangements. Moreover, legal statutes often prioritize the surviving spouse over other relatives or interested parties when it comes to making decisions about burial, cremation, and other forms of disposition.

In contrast to the surviving spouse, the next of kin may have rights, but those can vary widely depending on state laws and the specific family relationship. While the executor of the estate has responsibilities regarding the management of the deceased's will and assets, they do not automatically have the right to make decisions about the body unless specified in the will or authorized by the spouse or next of kin. A public health officer typically intervenes in matters related to public health concerns but does not have the authority to decide the means of final disposition in the absence of such concerns.