Coroners investigate deaths that have been reported to them if:
The death was thought to be violent or unnatural,
The cause of death is unknown after post mortem, or
The deceased died while in prison, police custody or another type of state detention.
Coroners are either solicitors or barristers, and/or qualified medical practitioners. Families ask many questions in advance of an inquest, so the information below is set out to be helpful and informative.
It should also help put people at ease should they find themselves needing to attend an inquest in the near future, as inquests are there to help grieving families find the answers they both want and need to understand what happened to their loved ones.