Solicitor acting as Deputy Coroner in an inquest

[whiskey1]

We had an Inquest recently for my father who died in a tragic accident. We were notified a couple of weeks in advance of the date for the Inquest. When we inquired at the Coroners's office who would be hearing the Inquest we got a huge shock. I will explain:

My mother (before my fathers accident) had brought a negligent case as a lay litigant against a solicitor. This solicitor was to be acting as Deputy Coroner in my fathers Inquest. The date given for the Inquest was the day before the case against this solicitor was to be heard in court. The court case was put off after we applied to the courts explaing what was happening.

When we learnt that this solicitor was hearing the Inquest we immediately contacted the Coroners office explaing that it would be very distressing if this solicitor was hearing the Inquest. The Coroners office were very good and got someone else to sit on the Inquest.

What are the rules for solicitors hearing Inquests where something like this happens? My family believe this solicitor was acting immoral.

 

[Vanilla]

The solicitor presumably was simply the acting deputy coroner for the area in which your fathers death took place. As such, any death in that area would come before her/him.

There would appear to be no conflict involved between acting as a coroner at an inquest in your fathers death and the case your mother had taken. It seems, though, that that would have distressed her. So another coroner dealt with the inquest at your request.

I don't see any other issue here, there certainly is no wrongdoing on anyones behalf?

 

[whiskey1]

Thank you for your reply.

One reason I put up this post was from a conversation I had with a neighbour. This neighbour was explaining to me that if a solicitor is known to a family in his/her professional capacity then they cannot hear the Inquest.

Since this neighbour does not claim to be an expert in the area I thought I might get the views of those that are.

My question is - are there rules/guidlines to adhere to involving Inquests, the acting Coroner & the bereaved family?

Should the solicitor not have excused himself when it was obvious to him who the Inquest was been held for and also given that he would have known that it would be quite easy to do so?

There would appear to be no conflict involved between acting as a coroner at an inquest in your fathers death and the case your mother had taken.

Have you ever attended an Inquest for a family member?

 

[Vanilla]

No need to get personal about it.

Obviously you feel they should have excused themselves before you had to ask. How do you know that they would not have done that anyway?

The result either way was that the inquest was not heard by the solicitor your family objected to. So what is the problem?