### Coroners Ordinance 《死因裁判官條例》

33. Adjournment of inquest
(1) A coroner may adjourn an inquest either to a fixed date or to a date to be fixed subsequently, and may, if he considers it necessary, use the same jury when the inquest is subsequently held or resumed.
(2) A coroner shall adjourn an inquest if, before the conclusion of the inquest, a person has been charged before a magistrate with the murder, manslaughter or infanticide of the person whose death is the subject of the inquest or with dangerous driving causing the death of such person. (Amended 33 of 2000 s. 5)
(3) Where a new jury is empanelled on the resumption of an inquest which has been adjourned under subsection (1) or (2) or section 34 or 35(1), a coroner shall proceed in all respects as if the inquest had not previously begun, and the law relating the coroners and inquests (including all the provisions of this Ordinance) shall apply accordingly as if the resumed inquest were a new inquest:
Provided that the transcription of the evidence of a witness who was examined at the original inquest and is dead or unable to be present at the resumed inquest may be read as evidence at the resumed inquest.
(4) Where a coroner resumes an inquest which has been adjourned under subsection (1) or (2) or section 34 or 35(1), being an inquest by the coroner without a jury or with the jury empanelled at the original inquest, the coroner may proceed at the resumed inquest as if the inquest had not been adjourned.

34. Adjournment of inquest where conduct of an absent person is called in question
Where the conduct of a person is called in question at an inquest on grounds which the coroner thinks substantial and which relate to the cause of or the circumstances connected with the death of the person the subject of the inquest, and if that person is not present at the inquest and has not been summoned to attend or otherwise given notice of the holding of the inquest, the coroner shall adjourn the inquest to enable that person to be present.

### Coroners Ordinance 《死因裁判官條例》

36. Secretary for Justice may request adjournment of inquest in certain cases
(1) Where the Secretary for Justice requests a coroner to adjourn an inquest on the ground that a person may be charged with the murder, manslaughter or infanticide of the person whose death is the subject of the inquest or with dangerous driving causing that death, the coroner shall adjourn the inquest. (Amended 33 of 2000 s. 5)
(2) At any time before the date fixed for the holding of an inquest which has been adjourned under subsection (1), the Secretary for Justice may request the coroner for a further adjournment and the coroner shall comply with the request.
(Amended L.N. 362 of 1997)

37. Inquest not to be adjourned solely on grounds of criminal proceedings arising out of death
Subject to sections 33(2), 35(1) and 36, an inquest shall not be adjourned solely by reason of the institution of criminal proceedings arising out of the death of the person the subject of the inquest.

38. Resumption and non-resumption of inquest
(1) Where an inquest which has been adjourned under section 33(2) or 35(1) is not to be resumed, the coroner shall notify the jurors, if any, the witnesses, the Commissioner of Police and any other person appearing in person or represented at the inquest that the inquest will not be resumed.
(2) Where an inquest which has been adjourned under section 33(2) or 35(1) is to be resumed, the coroner shall give reasonable notice of the date, hour and place at which the inquest will be resumed to the jurors, if any, the witnesses, the Commissioner of Police and any other person appearing in person or represented at the inquest.

39. Alteration of date, hour or place of adjourned inquest
Where a coroner has fixed a date, hour and place for the holding of an adjourned inquest, he may, at any time before the date so fixed, alter the date, hour or place fixed and shall then give notice of the alteration to the jurors, if any, the witnesses, the Commissioner of Police and any other person appearing in person or represented at the inquest.

### Coroners Ordinance 《死因裁判官條例》

40. Admissibility of documentary evidence
(1) Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4), a coroner may admit at an inquest documentary evidence relevant to the cause of or the circumstances connected with the death of the person the subject of the inquest from any living individual which in the coroner’s opinion is unlikely to be disputed, unless a properly interested person objects to the documentary evidence being admitted.
(2) A coroner may admit at an inquest documentary evidence—
(a) referred to in subsection (1); and
(b) in respect of which there is an objection referred to in that subsection,
where, in the opinion of the coroner, the maker of the document is unable to give oral evidence within a reasonable period.
(3) Subject to subsection (4), a coroner shall, before admitting at an inquest documentary evidence referred to in subsection (1), at the beginning of the inquest announce publicly—
(a) that the documentary evidence may be so admitted;
(b) the full name of the maker of the document to be so admitted and a brief account of the document;
(c) that a properly interested person may object to such admission of the documentary evidence (whether in whole or in part); and
(d) that a properly interested person is entitled to see a copy of the documentary evidence if he so wishes.
(4) Where during the course of an inquest it appears to the coroner that there is available at the inquest documentary evidence relevant to the cause of or the circumstances connected with the death of the person the subject of the inquest from a living individual and—
(a) the maker of the document is not present; and
(b) in the opinion of the coroner, the contents of the documentary evidence are unlikely to be disputed,
the coroner shall, in relation to the documentary evidence, at the earliest opportunity during the course of the inquest comply with the provisions of subsection (3) as if the words “at the beginning of the inquest” were omitted from that subsection.
(5) A coroner may admit as evidence at an inquest a document made by a deceased person if the coroner is of the opinion that the contents of the document are relevant to the cause of or the circumstances connected with the death of the person the subject of the inquest.
(6) Any documentary evidence admitted under this section at an inquest shall, unless the coroner otherwise directs, be read aloud at the inquest.