What a Coroner does when a death is reported The Coroner may decide that a post mortem examination and inquest are unnecessary because the cause of death is natural. The Coroner will then advise the Registrar of Births and Deaths that no further investigation is needed. The Coroner may ask a pathologist to examine the body and carry out a post mortem examination (also known as an autopsy). If so, the examination must be made as soon as possible. Post mortem A post mortem is a medical examination of a body carried out by a pathologist in order to establish the cause of death. The Coroner is not required to obtain the consent of the relatives for a post-mortem examination to be made but is required to inform certain persons of when and where the examination will take place. These include the deceased’s relatives and others with an interest in the death, for example, the deceased’s regular medical practitioner and the Chief Officer of Police. Such persons are entitled to be represented at the examination by a doctor of their choice but they have to pay any fee the doctor may charge. Where possible, Coroners will take account of religious and cultural needs. Inquests An inquest is a fact-finding inquiry to establish who has died and when, where and how the death occurred.
West Sussex County Council funds the Coroner’s Courts Support Service whose volunteers give emotional and practical support to families and witnesses attending inquests.
Most inquests are held without a jury. There are certain circumstances when a jury is required. These include
• if the death occurred in custody or otherwise in state detention • if the death resulted from the act or omission of a police officer in the purported execution of his duty. • if the death resulted from a notifiable accident, poisoning or disease Inquest Conclusions Possible conclusions include: • natural causes • accident or misadventure • suicide • unlawful killing • lawful killing • industrial disease • open verdict (where there is insufficient evidence for any other verdict) • road traffic collision • drug or alcohol related death. Alternatively, the Coroner can give a narrative conclusion, which sets out the facts surrounding the death in more detail and explains the reasons for the decision. Coroners Court The Coroner’s Court is currently located at: Edes House, West Street, Chichester or Parkside, Horsham. This is only a brief guide. For further information contact West Sussex Coroner’s Office Telephone 0330 222 7100 Or visit www.westsussex.gov.uk
A coroner must hold an inquest
• if the cause of death remains unknown • if there is cause for the Coroner to suspect that the deceased died a violent or unnatural death • if they died from an industrial disease • if the person died in prison or police custody or was at the time of their death detained under the Mental Health Act. In such circumstances the death cannot be registered until the Inquest is concluded. In order to assist the administration of the estate, a Certificate of Fact of Death can be issued by the Coroner. This certificate should be acceptable to banks and financial institutions, unless it is important for them to know the outcome of the inquest (for example, for an insurance settlement). When the inquest has been completed the Coroner will notify the Registrar of Births and Deaths so the death can be registered.
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www.westsussex.gov.uk • 01243 642122
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