Preparing for an Inquest - An Introductory Guide

Introduction

Inquests are significant legal events as they are often the first-time witnesses explain on oath what they saw.

Unlike some other legal processes, inquests do not ‘settle’, nor can they be compromised by agreement between those involved.

They are valuable not only for families striving to understand what happened, but for the media, they represent an opportunity to hear evidence first-hand and report matters of concern to the wider public.

This introductory level webinar will guide practitioners on how best to prepare.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• Architectural features: understanding the differences between adversarial and inquisitorial court systems
• The management of death: a statistical perspective
• The triggers to a Coroner’s involvement
• The hierarchy in the Coronial system: who does what?
• Legislation: the key areas identified
• Tuning in to the rhythm of the process: appreciating the possible pathways following a death
• Inquest objectives: both retrospective and prospective aspects
• Early case management decisions such as post mortem issues for particular cultural and faith communities
• Interested Persons: the order of precedence
• Disclosure: from and to the Coroner

This webinar was recorded on 25th November 2021