When an inquest is requiredDCCAdmin2025-10-17T08:42:06+00:00

When an inquest is required

When is an inquest needed?

The Coroner holds an inquest when a death may be unnatural

The Coroner’s role is to make ‘findings’ of the facts of the death and to determine the cause of death and record a verdict.

An inquest is an investigation into the identity of the deceased, the date and place of death and the medical cause of death. After the findings are made, a verdict is recorded.

It is important to know that an inquest does not make findings of civil or criminal liability. In other words, an inquest does not assign blame for a person’s death.

For more information on the types of deaths where an inquest is needed visit Second Schedule of the Coroner’s Act 1962 – 2024.

Attending an inquest

Find more information on the inquest process here

Attending an inquest

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