Coroners Courts

Coroners Courts

1. Must have been a lawyer or doctors for at least 7 years

2. Investigates death and treasure

3. DEATH

   • Catagories of death
     • He/she has reason to suspect it's unknown
     • If the death is violent or unatural
     • If the person is in custody/state detention
   • Has a right by common law to take possesion of a body
   • Purpose of inquests into death
     • Who it was
     • How, when, and where they died
     • Findings of the particulars of the death
   • Inquest must be held by a jury if the senior coroner has reason to suspect that:
     • They were in custody and the death was unknown or violent and unatural
     • Death resulted from act or omission of a police officer or police force of the armed services in their duty
     • Death was caused by accident, poisoning or disease
     • 'Sufficient reason'
   • Held in public apart from national security

4. Protected by absolute privilage

5. Protected by CoC Act 1981

   • Becomes active when opened
   • Must take care when a jury is involved

6. Can make S39 orders

   • Can grant anonymity to witnesses under Section 11 of the CoC Act 1981

7. TREASURE

   • The Crown or a franchisee has has legal right to take something that is deliberatly hidden as treasure
   • Definitions of treasure
     • Found object, not a single coin, which contains 10% gold or silver and at least 300 years old
     • Find of 10 or more coins which are at least 300 years old
   • National Museum has a chance to claim it

8. Coroners Rules 1984