The Chief Coroner heads the coroner system and has overall responsibility and national leadership for Coroners in England and Wales. The Office of the Chief Coroner was created by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, with the first Chief Coroner being appointed in September 2012. There is no power available for the Coroner to frame their determination in such a way as to appear to determine criminal liability on the part of a named individual or organisation or civil liability (as defined by section 10(2) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009). Since the enactment of the Criminal Law Act 1977, Coroners are no longer able to consider criminal liability as part of their investigations. All new appointments of Coroners (of whichever rank) will be of lawyers only. 14 Order 2013 commences the provisions of section 43 and section 45 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 Commencement No. Coroners employ officers to assist them with their investigations. There are around 98 Coroners in England and Wales covering approximately 109 coroner areas (Coroners and Justice Act 2009 Transitional Order 2013), which loosely mirror the boundaries established by local authority districts. What is a Coroner?Ĭoroners are independent judicial officers, appointed by the local authority, and are either doctors or lawyers responsible for investigating the cause of deaths. This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Agreement and supporting tools. It also provides operational advice regarding the Agreement between The Crown Prosecution Service, The National Police Chiefs' Council, The Chief Coroner and The Coroners' Society of England and Wales. This legal guidance provides prosecutors with information about Coroners and their responsibilities. What happens when criminal proceedings have been finalised?.Local Safeguarding Children Boards/Panels, Serious Case Reviews and Domestic Homicide Reviews.What should/can be disclosed to the Coroner?.Media reporting of inquests and publicity.When a prosecutor receives a Coroner's summons.Coroner's power to summons witnesses at inquests.Article 2 inquests: 'Jamieson' inquests and 'Middleton' inquests.Attorney General's order to hold an inquest.
Inquests for destroyed or irrecoverable bodies.Standard of Proof & Unlawful Killing Conclusions.Will the Coroner provide the police / CPS with a copy of the second post mortem report?.Will the Coroner arrange a second post mortem?.What will a Coroner do when a death is reported?.