Coroners' duties and responsibilities are now governed in the main by
the Coroners Act 1988. It is important that a Coroner, either himself
or through a Deputy, should be ready to undertake his duties at all
times. A Coroner is assisted by his Officers, who may be civilians or
police officers.
Duties of the coroner
The main duty of a Coroner is to enquire into sudden or unexplained
deaths usually by having a post-mortem examination made, followed by an
inquest if the cause of death is not natural. In addition to this there
are specific requirements to investigate deaths in certain
circumstances, for example, the death of a person in custody, or a death
resulting from a person's occupation.
Coroners are appointed by the Council on a part-time basis. Their
work involves the holding of inquests, arranging for post mortems to be
carried out and employing any other services, such as Funeral Directors,
as may be necessary. Coroners are required by law to be qualified as a
Barrister, Solicitor or legally qualified Medical Practitioner of not
less than five years standing. The Coroners are appointed by the
Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services.
