Inquests
When must an inquest take place?
A coroner must open an Inquest into a death if it:
- is reasonable to suspect that the death was not due to natural causes
- occurred in state detention
Natural causes are:
- a disease running its natural course
- where nothing else is implicated
What is an inquest for?
An inquest is a public, fact finding inquiry.
A coroner cannot assign fault or blame or deal with issues of civil or criminal liability.