Re Ketcher and Mitchell [2020] NICA 31, 3.6.2020 There has rightly been increasing emphasis since the Mid Staffs inquiry and other high media profile investigations, such as Hillsborough, on the responsibility of public bodies to be open and candid in all of their dealings with the Coroner. Whilst legislation falls short of imposing a statutory […]
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R (on the application of Maguire) v HM Senior Coroner for Blackpool & Fylde [2020] EWCA Civ 738 The Court of Appeal has ruled that the state’s investigative obligations under Article 2 ECHR do not arise where someone lacking capacity and deprived of their liberty dies of natural causes. The state’s obligations under Article 2 […]
Chief Coroner’s Guidance No. 38: ‘Remote Participation in Coronial Proceedings via Video and Audio Broadcast’, 11.6.2020 Just as the Crown Courts start to address the difficult issue of holding jury trials once more, so the Chief Coroner has sought to encourage Coroners, Practitioners, Interested Persons, Witnesses, the Press and Public as to how Inquests can […]
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“Doctor, cast the water of my land, find her disease, and purge it to a sound and pristine health…” Macbeth, Act V, Scene III Introduction The difference between the Scottish and English approaches to managing coronavirus appears to be growing. Guidance from the Chief Coroner for England and Wales, HHJ Mark Lucraft QC, indicates that […]
Ministry of Justice/ONS, 14.5.2020 On 14 May 2020, the most recent Coroners Statistics Annual Bulletin was published. At a time when data on death dominates the news, the Bulletin may have passed inquest practitioners by. However, the Bulletin remains a useful guide on the workload of coroners around the country and can be used to […]
Read More… from Data on Death: Coroner Statistics Annual Bulletin 2019