Inquests
Regularly we are often asked “What is an inquest?” or “What happens at an inquest?” Furthermore we are asked “What does a coroner do”? or “What are the powers of a Coroner?” There is often a mystery surrounding an inquest the laws of which go back hundreds of years. It has been mooted that the law surrounding a coroner’s inquests following a fatal accident or suspicious death should be updated.
What Is an Inquest?
An inquest is usually held in order to determine where, when and how someone has died. Inquests are usually raised where someone has died suddenly or the cause of death is unknown. An inquest is carried out by a coroner. A coroner must be either a doctor or a lawyer.
Reason for a Coroner’s Inquest
An inquest does not establish who is to blame for a person’s death. Its primary objective is to discover the reason for the deceased’s death and when the death happened which may also be due to a fatal accident. Inquests tend to take place when a person has died as a result of violent, unnatural or sudden death. Also a Coroner’s Inquest may also be performed if the death was caused in prison or police custody, or if the cause of death is still unknown after a post mortem. A post mortem is the examination of the body after the death.
