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Coroners Act 2006

Inquiries into causes and circumstances of deaths - Inquiries

63: Decision whether to open and conduct inquiry

You could also call this:

"Deciding if a coroner should investigate a death"

Illustration for Coroners Act 2006

When you are deciding if a coroner should look into a death, they must think about some things. They consider if the death seems natural or not. They also think about if the death was caused by someone else's actions. They look at if people are talking about the death and if they are concerned. They consider if looking into the death could help stop similar deaths. They think about what the family of the person who died wants. They also consider any other important things they think are relevant.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM377599.

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62: Other deaths, or

"What happens when someone dies in a way that's not usual or expected"

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64: Duties of coroner who decides not to open inquiry, or

"What a coroner must do if they decide not to investigate a death"

Part 3Inquiries into causes and circumstances of deaths
Inquiries

63Decision whether to open and conduct inquiry

  1. In deciding whether to open and conduct an inquiry, a coroner must have regard to the following matters:

  2. whether or not the causes of the death concerned appear to have been natural; and
    1. in the case of a death that appears to have been unnatural or violent, whether or not it appears to have been due to the actions or inaction of any other person; and
      1. the existence and extent of any allegations, rumours, suspicions, or public concern, about the death; and
        1. the extent to which the drawing of attention to the circumstances of the death may be likely to reduce the chances of the occurrence of other deaths in similar circumstances; and
          1. the desire of any members of the immediate family of the person who is or appears to be the person concerned that an inquiry should be conducted; and
            1. any other matters the coroner thinks fit.

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