Inquests
What is an Inquest ?
An Inquest is a public court hearing held by the Coroner to establish who died and how , when and where the death occurred . The purpose is to discover the facts of the death , not to apportion blame on any individual or organisation .
Why is there an Inquest ?
An Inquest would be held if it was not possible to find out the cause of death , even if there was an investigation or a post mortem ; if the death was unnatural ; or the death occurred in state detention such as a prison . The Coroner would need to hold an Inquest to complete the investigation . If there are criminal proceeding , the Coroner will suspend the Inquest until after the criminal court proceedings have been concluded . It may then not be necessary to re-open the Inquest .
Opening an Inquest
The Coroner will open the Inquest as soon as possible where one is required . This hearing is normally very brief and the Coroner will then immediately adjourn the Inquest until a later date in order for all the necessary reports and documentation to be available .
What is a Pre-Inquest Review ?
Occasionally , the Coroner will hold one or more hearings before the Inquest . These are known as Pre-Inquest Reviews . This would normally happen when Decisions need to be taken about the direction of the inquest or evidence to be procured .
Who Can Attend an Inquest ?
Inquests are always held in public . A Coroner ’ s Oficer may be in attendance and relatives of the deceased will be invited to attend .
Witnesses who have been summoned by the Coroner to give evidence will also attend . Members of the public and the media are also allowed to attend .
What Happens at an Inquest ?
The Coroner will introduce the Inquest , explaining who everyone is and what will be happening . The Coroner will then call and question the witnesses who have to give evidence either by swearing an oath or making a declaration . All witnesses who live in England or Wales must attend court if they have been summoned . It is an ofence not to attend and the Coroner may issue a warrant enforcing them to attend or issue a fine for non-attendance .
Family members and other Interested Persons can ask the witnesses any questions they have after the Coroner has done so . A Interested Person could be a direct relative of the deceased , such as a spouse , siblings , children and parents . They could also be an Executor or an organisation who may have contributed to the death . They could be part of the medical profession who were involved with the deceased prior to the death .
The Coroner will read out any statements that are to be taken as documentary evidence . The Coroner will then summarise the evidence and pronounce the conclusion . Where there is a Jury , the Coroner will give them directions as to the range of conclusions which they can consider .
A member of the Coroners Court Support Service may also be present to provide the family and witnesses with support throughout . This service is a charity run organisation of volunteers , providing emotional and practical support to families and witnesses during what can be a very upsetting and distressing time . 8