Coroners: A Guide to the New Law

The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 introduces deep and wide-ranging changes to the coroner system in England and Wales. Understanding these changes and their potential impact is essential for all practitioners representing claimants, defendants, witnesses, or family members. This invaluable guide provides thorough coverage of the Act's provisions, which include: the introduction of a new national coroner service headed by a Chief Coroner; a new death certification system; an Appeals process to enable the bereaved to appeal against coroners' decisions; independent inspections for deaths not investigated by the coroner; the division of England and Wales into new coroner areas; a new appointment system for coroners; increased powers for coroners to secure information and evidence, with the aim of improving the quality and outcomes of investigations; and, the ability to hold inquests in private if material that cannot be publicly disclosed is relevant to proceedings. The book also covers the new Charter for the Bereaved. This charter aims to set out the services that bereaved people can expect from the coroner system and what they can do if standards are not met.
This invaluable guide offers detailed analysis of the new and existing legislative provisions, and includes relevant sections and Schedules of the Act as well as the full text of the charter.