Births, deaths and ceremonies Inquests

About inquests

An inquest is held publicly in open court. The hearing is held by the coroner who will decide who died; how, when and where the deceased came by his or her death. It's not the function of an inquest to determine any question of civil liability or criminal liability on the part of a named person.

There are different types of inquest hearings.

1. An inquest opening is the official start of the inquest. This is usually a formality and has to happen before more enquiries can be made.
   
2. A fast-track inquest where there are no issues and can be opened and concluded on the same day.
   
3. A documentary inquest only looks at evidence on paper and no witnesses are needed.
   
4.  A pre-inquest review is a meeting held in court to discuss the details for the inquest, for example which witnesses will be called and when the final hearing will be.
   
5. An inquest when witnesses attend in person to give live evidence. 
   
6. An inquest in writing without a hearing.
   

Inquests are heard at HM Coroner's court at the Shirehall unless otherwise stated. 

Attendance at Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Coroner’s court is assisted by volunteers from the Coroners' Courts Support Service.

Please visit Coroners Court support service for further information or call 0300 111 2141 for their telephone support service. 

HM Coroner may permit remote participation and/or observation in which case the warnings referred to in the Chief Coroner’s Guidance No. 42 on remote hearings will apply. 

The death cannot be registered until after the coronial investigations has been concluded. Upon the conclusion of an inquest the coroner is responsible for sending the relevant paperwork to the appropriate Registrar where death will then be formally registered.

Support

INQUEST are a charity, independent of government, providing free advice to people bereaved by a death in custody and detention.