A collection of links with information about inquests and the Coroner's Court.

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Inquests: general
Duty to hold inquest.

8.—(1) Where a coroner is informed that the body of a person ("the deceased" ) is lying within his district and there is reasonable cause to suspect that the deceased—
(a) has died a violent or an unnatural death;
(b) has died a sudden death of which the cause is unknown; or
(c) has died in prison or in such a place or in such circumstances as to require an inquest under any other Act,
then, whether the cause of death arose within his district or not, the coroner shall as soon as practicable hold an inquest into the death of the deceased either with or, subject to subsection (3) below, without a jury.

Times March 12, 2007

Circumstances requiring coroner to sit with a jury

Queen's Bench Divisional Court

Published March 12, 2007

Regina (Paul and Others) v Deputy Coroner of the Queen's Household and Assistant Deputy Coroner for Surrey

Regina (Al Fayed) v Same

Before Lady Justice Smith, Mr Justice Collins and Mr Justice Silber

Judgment March 2, 2007

Where a death occurred in circumstances the recurrence of which might be prejudicial to the health and safety of any section of the public, the coroner was obliged to sit with a jury.

The Court of Appeal so held in a reserved judgment granting applications for judicial review brought by (i) Jean Paul, Gisele Paul and Ritz Hotel Ltd, Paris; and (ii) Mohamed Al Fayed into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed.

The rulings appealed were made on January 8, 2007, by Lady Butler-Sloss that: (i) she had jurisdiction, in principle, to sit as deputy coroner of the Queen's household; (ii) no jury was to be called; and (iii) on the facts, she would sit as deputy coroner of the Queen's household.

Section 8 of the Coroners Act 1988 provides: "(3) If it appears to a coroner ... that there is reason to suspect ... (d) that the death occurred in circumstances the continuance or possible recurrence of which is prejudicial to the health or safety of the public or any secion of the public, he shall proceed to summon a jury..."