Law

Coroners Act 1988

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2024-05-01, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 45 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 Appointment of coroners.
  3. 2 Qualifications for appointment as coroner.
  4. 3 Terms on which coroners hold office.
  5. 4 Coroners’ districts.
  6. 4A Coroner areas: Wales.
  7. 5 Jurisdiction of coroners.
  8. 6 Appointment of deputy coroners.
  9. 7 Functions of deputy coroners.
  10. 8 Duty to hold inquest.
  11. 9 Qualifications of jurors.
  12. 10 Attendance of jurors and witnesses.
  13. 11 Proceedings at inquest.
  14. 12 Failure of jury to agree.
  15. 13 Order to hold investigation.
  16. 14 Inquest out of jurisdiction.
  17. 15 Inquest where body destroyed or irrecoverable.
  18. 16 Adjournment of inquest in event of criminal proceedings.
  19. 17 Provisions supplementary to section 16.
  20. 17A Adjournment of inquest in event of judicial inquiry.
  21. 18 Inquests into road deaths in London.
  22. 19 Post-mortem examination without inquest.
  23. 20 Request to specially qualified person to make post-mortem and special examinations.
  24. 21 Summoning of medical witnesses and direction of post-mortem examinations.
  25. 22 Removal of body for post mortem examination.
  26. 23 Exhumation of body for examination.
  27. 24 Fees and allowances payable on holding inquest.
  28. 25 Payments to jurors.
  29. 26 Payment of expenses by coroner.
  30. 27 Accounts to be laid before relevant council.
  31. 27A Indemnity.
  32. 28 Annual returns to be made to Secretary of State.
  33. 29 Coroner of the Queen’s household.
  34. 30 Treasure trove.
  35. 31 Provision of accommodation.
  36. 32 Power to make rules.
  37. 33 Savings for ex-officio coroners and judicial powers.
  38. 34 Application of Act to Isles of Scilly.
  39. 35 Interpretation.
  40. 36 Consequential amendments, repeals, transitional provisions and savings.
  41. 37 Short title, commencement and extent.
  42. SCHEDULE 1 SALARIES AND PENSIONS
  43. SCHEDULE 2 CORONER OF THE QUEEN’S HOUSEHOLD
  44. SCHEDULE 3 CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS
  45. SCHEDULE 4 REPEALS

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45 provisions

37 Short title, commencement and extent.

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SCHEDULE 1 SALARIES AND PENSIONS

Section 3(1). ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SCHEDULE 2 CORONER OF THE QUEEN’S HOUSEHOLD

Section 29(7). ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SCHEDULE 3 CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

Section 36(1). ... ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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