Coroners Act 1988

• Citation: 1988 c. 13
• Sections: 47

Section 1 Appointment of coroners.

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Section 2 Qualifications for appointment as coroner.

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Section 3 Terms on which coroners hold office.

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Section 4 Coroners’ districts.

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Section 4A Coroner areas : Wales.

(1)-(7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(8) A senior coroner appointed for any coroner area in Wales—

(a) shall for all purposes be regarded as a senior coroner for the whole of Wales; and

(b) shall have the same jurisdiction, rights, powers and authorities throughout Wales as if he had been appointed as a senior coroner for the whole of Wales.

(9)-(10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 5 Jurisdiction of coroners.

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Section 6 Appointment of deputy coroners.

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Section 7 Functions of deputy coroners.

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Section 8 Duty to hold inquest.

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Section 9 Qualifications of jurors.

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Section 10 Attendance of jurors and witnesses.

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Section 11 Proceedings at inquest.

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Section 12 Failure of jury to agree.

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Section 13 Order to hold investigation .

(1) This section applies where, on an application by or under the authority of the Attorney-General, the High Court is satisfied as respects a coroner (“the coroner concerned”) either—

(a) that he refuses or neglects to hold an inquest or an investigation which ought to be held; or

(b) where an inquest or an investigation has been held by him, that (whether by reason of fraud, rejection of evidence, irregularity of proceedings, insufficiency of inquiry, the discovery of new facts or evidence or otherwise) it is necessary or desirable in the interests of justice that an investigation (or as the case may by, another investigation) should be held.

(2) The High Court may—

(a) order an investigation under Part 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to be held into the death either—

(i) by the coroner concerned; or

(ii) by a senior coroner, area coroner or assistant coroner in the same coroner area ;

(b) order the coroner concerned to pay such costs of and incidental to the application as to the court may appear just; and

(c) where an inquest has been held, quash any inquisition on, or determination or finding made at that inquest.

(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) For the purposes of this section, “coroner” means a coroner appointed under section 1 of this Act, or a senior coroner, area coroner or assistant coroner appointed under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

(5) This section does not apply in relation to a death that resulted directly from the Troubles (which has the same meaning as in Schedule 1A to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 — see paragraph 4 of that Schedule).

Section 14 Inquest out of jurisdiction.

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Section 15 Inquest where body destroyed or irrecoverable.

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Section 16 Adjournment of inquest in event of criminal proceedings .

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Section 17 Provisions supplementary to section 16.

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Section 17A Adjournment of inquest in event of judicial inquiry.

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Section 18 Inquests into road deaths in London.

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Section 19 Post-mortem examination without inquest.

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Section 20 Request to specially qualified person to make post-mortem and special examinations.

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Section 21 Summoning of medical witnesses and direction of post-mortem examinations.

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Section 22 Removal of body for post mortem examination.

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Section 23 Exhumation of body for examination.

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Section 24 Fees and allowances payable on holding inquest.

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Section 25 Payments to jurors.

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Section 26 Payment of expenses by coroner.

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Section 27 Accounts to be laid before relevant council.

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Section 27A Indemnity.

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Section 28 Annual returns to be made to Secretary of State.

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Section 29 Coroner of the Queen’s household.

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Section 30 Treasure trove.

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Section 31 Provision of accommodation.

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Section 32 Power to make rules.

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Section 33 Savings for ex-officio coroners and judicial powers.

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Section 34 Application of Act to Isles of Scilly.

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Section 35 Interpretation.

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Section 36 Consequential amendments, repeals, transitional provisions and savings.

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Section 37 Short title, commencement and extent.

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