Coroners Society recommended to publish pre-trial guidelines and prepare a list of witnesses to be called showing in each case a brief summary of the evidence expected to be given by that witness in order to assist parties at inquests. A costs order might be made against a coroner when: (1) If a coroner not only filed an affidavit but also appeared and contested the making of an adverse order in an inter partes adversarial mode, then he or she was at risk as to costs; (2) If on the other hand, the coroner, as was fitting for somebody holding judicial office, swore an affidavit to assist the court and then appeared in court, more in the role of an amicus rather than as a contesting party, then the court was likely to follow the normal rule set out in Jervis and make no order as to costs provided that it did not express strong disapproval of his or her conduct.
Brooke LJ said: ‘We are unwilling for our part, to fetter the discretion of a coroner by being at all prescriptive about the procedures he should adopt in order to achieve a full, fair and thorough hearing.’
Judges:
Forbes J, Brooke LJ
Citations:
Times 30-Mar-1999, [1999] EWHC Admin 155, [2000] Lloyd’s Med LR 264
Links:
Citing:
Doubtd – Regina v Coroner for Wiltshire ex parte Clegg QBD 1996
The court awarded costs against a coroner on an appeal even though he had only taken part by the filing of an affidavit. . .
Cited by:
Cited – Regina on the Application of Davies (No 2) v HM Deputy Coroner for Birmingham CA 27-Feb-2004
The claimant appealed against a costs order. She had previously appealed against an order of the High Court on her application for judicial review of the inquest held by the respondent.
Held: The coroner, and others in a similar position . .
Doubted – Regina v Her Majesty’s Coroner for Inner London North ex parte Peter Francis Touche CA 21-Mar-2001
The applicant’s wife had died of a cerebral haemorrhage, the result of severe hypertension, possibly secondary to eclampsia. The coroner decided not to hold an inquest. The issue raised was whether he was required to hold an inquest because there . .
Cited – Sreedharan, Regina (on The Application of) v HM Coroner for The County of Greater Manchester Admn 28-May-2012
The claimant doctor renewed his application for judicial review of the jury verdict of unlawful killing at the inquest into a patient. The patientwas alcoholic. The doctor prescribed a sedative drug for him, but it was known to be potentially lethal . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Coroners
Updated: 19 May 2022; Ref: scu.85369