Sometimes the Coroner may hold one or more hearings before the inquest, known as pre-inquest reviews or directions hearings. These may be arranged if, for instance, the circumstances of the death are complex and there needs to be a legal discussion about the scope of the inquest. The Coroner will invite you to the pre-inquest review, where you will have the opportunity to raise issues, on what you consider the inquest should cover, with the Coroner.
Pre-inquest reviews are normally held in public, but in certain circumstances, such as when complex issues are being discussed, this will not be the case.
Standards of Service you can expect before an inquest:
- The Coroner's office will contact you regularly and, if the investigation is lengthy, at least every three months to update you on the progress of the case. This will not apply if you have said that you only wish to be contacted when there is progress to report. You may also contact the Coroner's office for an update.
- The Coroner's office must notify you of the time and location of the inquest within a week of arranging the inquest. The Coroner's office will, wherever possible, take your views into account on the timing of the inquest.
- The Coroner's office will also be able to give you information about others who may be present, and how you can take part, for instance by speaking to the Coroner directly or through a representative or asking witnesses questions about the evidence they have given.
- If the date or location of the inquest has to be changed, the Coroner's office will let you know within a week
- If the Coroner decides to hold a pre-inquest review, the Coroner's office will tell you the time, date and location of the hearing and its purpose
- You may request copies of relevant documents from the Coroner's office, before the inquest.
