What is a coroner?
A coroner is an independent judicial office holder, appointed by the local authority within the coroner area.
Coroners are usually lawyers but sometimes doctors and work within a framework of law passed by Parliament.
Each coroner area will have a senior coroner. The senior coroner may be supported by an area coroner as well as by a team of assistant coroners.
Area coroners and assistant coroners are also appointed by the local authority and approved by the chief coroner and Lord Chancellor.
They are qualified in the same way and have the same powers as the senior coroner when dealing with deaths and inquests.
The chief coroner heads the coroner service and gives guidance on standards and practice.
What does a coroner do?
Not all deaths are reported to the coroner.
Coroners investigate deaths that have been reported to them if they have reason to think that:
- the cause of death is unknown
- the death was violent or unnatural; or
- the deceased died while in prison, police custody or another type of state detention such as an immigration centre or while detained under the Mental Health Act 1983
When a death is reported, the coroner will:
- Establish whether an investigation is required
- If yes, investigate to establish the identity of the person who has died; how, when, and where they died; and any information required to register the death
- use information discovered during the investigation to assist in the prevention of other deaths where possible.
Whenever a death has been reported to the coroner, the local Registrar of Births and Deaths must wait for the coroner to finish their enquiries before the death can be registered.
Paperwork will then be issued allowing for the funeral to proceed. In some cases, the coroner may open an inquest which is a judicial inquiry into the death.
What is a coroner’s officer?
The coroner is supported by a team of coroner’s officers. In the Gwent region, they are employed by Gwent Police and Newport City Council.
Coroners’ officers work under the direction of the coroner and liaise with bereaved people as well as the police, doctors, witnesses, mortuary staff, hospital bereavement staff and funeral directors.
Most of the contact you will have with the coroner’s office will be with a coroner’s officer. Even where the coroner is considering a matter you have raised, communication is still likely to be with the coroner’s officer (because the coroner is a judge).
Some coroner’s services also have staff with other duties/responsibilities. In the Gwent Coroner’s Service, we have a support service function who deal with all administrative duties arising from the coronial process.