Ohio lawsuit over liquefying bodies goes to court

COLUMBUS (AP) — An Ohio judge is refusing to issue a temporary restraining order requested by a funeral home that wants to continue dissolving bodies through a process using lye and heat.

The National Funeral Directors Association says Edwards Funeral Service in Columbus is the only U.S. funeral business publicly offering the process, called alkaline hydrolysis.

Edwards says it has used that process in 19 cases since Jan. 1.

Edwards filed a lawsuit requesting a restraining order to block enforcement of recent restrictions by a state board and the Ohio Department of Health. The suit alleges they don’t have authority to keep the funeral home from using the procedure.

A bailiff says a Franklin County judge denied the restraining order request Thursday but will have a full hearing on the matter April 20.