Attending an inquest hearing

In a coroner's court, a juror plays a crucial role in determining the facts surrounding a death.

The key responsibilities are -

• listening to evidence - Jurors listen to testimonies from witnesses, experts, and other relevant parties to understand the circumstances of the death
• determining facts - They help ascertain the answers to four key questions - who the deceased was and where, when, and how they died
• reaching a conclusion - Based on the evidence presented, jurors work together to reach a conclusion, commonly known as the verdict

Most inquests are held without a jury, but there are times when the law says that a jury must be called.

Jurors are typically called for inquests involving -

• deaths in custody
• deaths resulting from workplace incidents
• if the senior coroner thinks that there is sufficient reason for doing so

These inquests can range from one day to multiple weeks - your summons will state the approximate length of the inquest.

Serving as a juror is an important civic duty, contributing to the transparency and fairness of the inquest process.

Jurors in a coroner's court can ask questions during the hearing, but there are specific procedures they must follow. Typically, jurors submit their questions in writing to the coroner, who then decides whether the questions are appropriate and relevant to the inquest. This process ensures that the questions are pertinent and do not disrupt the proceedings.

Allowing jurors to ask questions can help clarify evidence and ensure a thorough understanding of the case. However, the coroner has the final say on which questions are asked to maintain the focus and integrity of the inquest.

Do I qualify as a juror?

The summons will ask you if you are eligible to serve in the court as a juror because not everybody is eligible to be a juror.

To qualify, you must -

• be aged between 18 and 75-years-old at the inquest start date
• be registered to vote in the UK
• have been a resident in the UK for at least 5 years after your thirteenth birthday

You do not qualify if you -

• are on bail
• have been to prison or been subject to a community order within the last 10 years
• have ever been given a prison sentence of 5 years or longer
• are in hospital or under a community treatment order for mental health treatment
• do not have mental capacity

If you are unsure whether you fall under any of these categories, please refer to the contact details provided in your summons. Alternatively, you can complete the enquiry form below -

Coroners enquiry form

If you are eligible to serve as a juror but cannot attend for other reasons, such as -

• a planned holiday
• medical appointments
• health concerns

you must fill in the form stating that you are eligible however that you wish to be excused.

You may be required to provide evidence for why you will be unable to attend. If the coroner agrees to excuse you from attending this inquest you may be summoned again for future inquests.

Once you have completed all the paperwork, please return the form using the pre-paid envelope.

Once all the summons are sent out we might receive more replies than are needed for eligible jurors. If this is the case, we will choose to defer some jurors to a later date, we will contact you to inform you of this.

Any changes in your circumstances, such as illness, must be reported to the Coroner’s Office as soon as possible. If you do not turn up on the first day of the inquest, the coroner has the power to send the police to come and bring you to court.

What to expect

On the first day you will attend court usually 1 hour before the start of the inquest, however you will be informed of this. You will be met by members of the administration team who talk to you individually to run through your expenses.

Once all the necessary paperwork has been complete, all appointed jurors will wait in the jury room until the start of the inquest where they will be escorted into the court.

You will be informed of the paperwork you will need to bring with you, but apart from this you will require nothing else for the course of the inquest - notebooks and pens will be provided by the court. You are welcome to bring a book or something else to occupy your time on breaks, any personal belongings will be locked in the jury room whilst the inquest is on.

You must not take any phones or cameras into the courtroom.

You are free to go out for your lunch break which is usually for 1 hour but may be longer if the coroner decides. There are food outlets nearby, or you can bring your own lunch.

Similar to witnesses attending court, each juror will be asked to swear an oath on the holy book of your choice or to affirm which is non-religious. Once all jury members have completed this, the hearing will begin. You are encouraged to make notes during the inquest to assist with your decision.

To help you make your final decision, the coroner will provide you with a summary of the points and will give you a selection of different conclusions that can be reached. How long the final conclusion can take is dependent on the jury and whether they agree or not. If it takes more than a few days the coroner can intervene and choose to make a decision on what the majority agree.

You will be formally dismissed when the inquest is closed and you will be free to go, but you must not tell anyone else the details of the discussion you had with the other jury members. If you are struggling during or after the inquest with the circumstances, we can arrange for you to speak to someone who will be able to support you.

If you have been asked to attend court as a juror and have spent money on travel to court or taken time off and lost pay, you may be able to claim this back by completing the below form

Witness and Jurors Expenses request