Inquests: A Practitioner's Guide

The inquest process is of profound importance to many families. A properly conducted investigation and inquest which exposes the truth, culminates in a finding about what went right and what went wrong, and makes recommendations for change, can help relatives to recover after a death.

Inquests: a practitioner’s guide seeks to assist legal practitioners in promoting the rights of bereaved people who become involved in inquests. It is uniquely focused on examining the practice and procedure of the coroner’s court from the point of view of practitioner acting for the bereaved.

Since the last edition the coronial system in England and Wales has undergone fundamental reform. This edition is up to date to include:
• the new statutory regime governing the powers and duties of coroners: Coroners and Justice Act 2009, Coroners (Inquests) Rules 2013 and Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013
• the public funding regime under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
• continuing applicable developments under international human rights law
• a new chapter on public inquiries and other investigations

Inquests: a practitioner’s guide is a comprehensive yet accessible and practical guide. There is thorough consideration of the practice and procedure of the coroner’s court, in-depth analysis of an ever-evolving body of case-law in UK and Strasbourg alongside practical and tactical guidance for practitioners from reporting the death through to the hearing, funding and remedies.

Contents include:
Historical origins of modern inquests; Coroner qualifications, appointment, bias, removal and immunity; The coroner’s duties; Jurisdiction, suspension and resumption of an inquest; The post-mortem and forensic toxicology; Immediate action on behalf of the deceased’s family; Funding of representation at the inquest; Conference with the advocate; Pre-inquest review hearings; The inquest hearing; The jury; The conclusion; Inquests and the European Convention on Human Rights; Controversial deaths: special cases; Post-inquest remedies; Public inquiries and other investigations; Appendices: extracts from legislation, useful resources, sample narrative directions and rulings from coroners, letters, precedents and non-statutory forms

Essential reading for barristers, solicitors and other advocates, coroners, campaigning organisations and public bodies.