Coroner's inquests
Contents
- Coroner's inquests
- The inquest process
- Listed inquests
The inquest process
The Coroner will aim to open an inquest as quickly as possible by holding a brief public hearing in the Coroner’s Court. You are not required to attend the opening of the inquest but are more than welcome to do so. If you wish to attend, please speak to the Coroner's Office about your request.
Telephone: 01604 526100
Email: [email protected]
Final inquest hearing
A date for the final inquest hearing will be decided on that which allows reasonable time for the necessary information gathering and investigations. The Coroner will then make a decision on the scope and nature of the enquires needed.
Pre-inquest disclosure of relevant reports and statements will be shared with close relatives and other legally interested persons in advance of the final hearing, and normally via email. In some circumstances, this can be accommodated via the post.
Depending on the nature of the inquest hearing, the duration of the inquest can vary.
Witnesses
Witnesses are required to attend court and, while this will be different for each case, may include doctors, nurses, police officers, carers, eyewitnesses, and any other relevant persons.
The Coroner will decide on which evidence will be given read aloud or if witnesses are required to attend in person.
Any interested persons to the inquest will be invited by the Coroner to ask any relevant and reasonable questions to the witness. The Coroner will decide if a question is relevant to the inquest.
Conclusions
Once all the evidence has been heard the coroner will then make their conclusions. The conclusion may be stated in short form or alternatively the coroner may also give a brief narrative conclusion.
What happens after the inquest
Once the Coroner has reached their conclusion, they will notify the registrar, who will then register the death. You do not need to be present for this process to occur as the coroner will act as the informant to registrar.
The family can then order a copy of the death certificate.
If the death occurred outside of Northamptonshire, you will need to contact the Registration Office for the area in which the death occurred.
If the death occurred outside of England and Wales, the death will have been already registered in the country the death occurred, and does not need to be re-registered.
The Courts Listings Officer will be in contact prior to the start of any inquests to ensure that any interested persons are provided with copies of relevant documents in good time before the inquest is held.
We aim to meet any provisional inquest dates where possible, but it may be necessary to adjourn some inquests on occasions where we are not in receipt of the requested evidence.
You are able to attend court in person. However, on written application to the Coroner you may submit a request to attend via video link which will be considered. Because the inquest is held in a public court, we cannot exclude the press and media, but you are under no obligation to interact with any media representatives.
There are currently no restrictions on number of persons in attendance in our courts. However, we would ask that you contact our office if you wish to attend with a large number of family, friends or other persons.
Water refreshments are available, prior to the start of the hearing. You cannot eat or drink inside the Court room.
Inquest court is usually held on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10am and 4:30pm, but this can change. Please do refer to the court listings for the most up to date information.
If you are required to attend Coroners Court as a witness, the Coroner can send a summons to request your attendance as a witness at the inquest. In this case, you may be asked to provide a written statement or to provide evidence on the witness stand.
If you have any questions in relation to Inquest court hearings then please call 01604 526100 or email [email protected] and we will be glad to help you.
See Find the Coroner's Office and Court for Court locations, nearby parking and a map.
The Coroners Court Support Service is a charity organisation that supports bereaved family members and witnesses during the inquest process. Their volunteers operate at Northamptonshire Coroner’s inquest court to support bereaved families, witnesses and other parties at court.
Should you need any support or advice in relation to inquest issues you can contact the Coroners Court support service:
- Telephone: 0300 111 2141
- Email: [email protected]
The guide to Coroner Services provides an explanation of the process and links to organisations that may be able to provide help and advice.
Last updated 21 March 2024