The principle of open justice, allowing pubic scrutiny of how citizens come by their deaths, is at the core of the inquest process. Save in exceptional circumstances[1] Inquests should be heard in open court with the media able to fully report the proceedings. “The names of those who are born and those who die are […]
Read More… from Anonymisation of victims of sexual-offences in Inquest proceedings
R (on the application of Secretary of State for Transport) (Claimant) v HM Senior Coroner for Norfolk (Defendant) & British Airline Pilots Association (Intervener) [2016] EWHC 2279 (Admin) Readers of the UK Inquest Law Blog need no reminding that prior to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, coroners had no power to order disclosure of […]
R (Maxine Hamilton-Jackson) v HM Assistant Coroner for Mid Kent and Medway [2016] EWHC 1796 (Admin) The absence of opening or closing speeches at inquests means that the need for clarity when summing up is all the more important. The jury must know clearly what they need to find as facts in order to justify any […]
Read More… from Polarising the dichotomy! Inquest juries need it kept clear and simple
R (Tyrrell) v Senior Coroner for Durham & Darlington [2016] EWHC 1892 (Admin) Around two thirds of the 250 deaths in prison each year are from a naturally occurring cause. In a decision that will be warmly welcomed by Coroners, the Divisional Court has now determined that there is no obligation to hold an Art […]
Read More… from What does Article 2 require after a death in prison from “natural causes”?
Burke-Monerville v HM Senior Coroner of Inner North London, application for urgent relief, High Court: Fri 8 July The trend of recent decisions in the High Court has been a general reluctance to hear challenges to coroners’ procedural decisions prior to the end of an inquest. Whether the proceedings have or have not been substantively […]
Read More… from Eleventh hour challenge to an inquest disclosure decision refused