Inquest

What happens during an inquest?

An inquest will be opened soon after the death. This allowsthe death tobe recorded, the deceasedto be identified and thecoroner togive authorisation fora burial or cremation to take place as soon as possible.

After the inquest has been opened, it may be adjourned (postponed) until after any other investigations have been completed. The average length of adjournment is 27 weeks, although in some cases it may be longer if the case is particularly complex.

In some cases, the coroner may hold one or more additional hearings before an inquest begins, known as pre-inquest hearings or reviews. Theseallow the extent of the inquest to be considered.

During an inquest,witnesses chosen by the coroner will give evidence. The coroner usually asks the witness to summarise events in their own words before asking them questions to clarify any points.

Anyone who has a "proper interest"can also questiona witness. Someone with a proper interest is:

a parent, spouse, child, civil partner and anyone acting for the deceased
anyone who gains from a life insurance policy of the deceased
any insurer who has issued such a policy
anyone whose actions the coroner believes may have contributed to the death accidentally or otherwise
the chief officer of police (who can only ask questions through a lawyer)
any person appointed by a government department

The coroner will decide who is given proper interest status.

At the end of the inquest, the coroner or jury (if there is one, see below), will come to a conclusion. This will include a legal statement about who died, as well as where, when and how they died.

The coroner will make a statement about the cause of death so it can be formally registered. For example, the death may be described as being:

an accident or misadventure
alcohol or drug related
an industrial disease
a lawful killing
an unlawful killing
due to natural causes
open (a death that's suspicious but where it isn't possible to confirm the exact cause)
a road traffic collision
a stillbirth
a suicide

The coroner or jury may also make a brief "narrative" conclusion in which they'll set out the facts surrounding the death in more detail and explain the reasons for their decision.