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Coroners Act 1997
3DWho is a custodial officer? 7
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3D Who is a custodial officer? 7
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contents 2 Coroners Act 1997
4 Establishment 8
5 Coroners 8
6 Chief Coroner 8
7 Chief Coroner’s functions 9
8 Deputy coroners 9
9 Deputy coroners’ functions 9
10 Oath to be taken by coroner or deputy coroner 10
11 Registrar and deputy registrars 10
11A Coroner for matter not available 10
12 General functions and jurisdiction of coroner 12
13 Coroner’s jurisdiction in relation to deaths 12
15 Control and release of body of deceased 14
17 Assistance to State and other Territory coroners 14
17A Considerations before exercising function or making decision 15
Division 3.2 Inquiries into fires
18 Coroner’s jurisdiction in relation to fires 15
19 Coroner’s jurisdiction in relation to disasters 16
19A Meaning of ancillary examination—pt 4 17
19B Directions to obtain medical records 17
19C Ancillary examination 18
20 Dispensing with post-mortem examination 18
21 Directions to doctors to conduct post-mortem examinations 18
22 Unavailability of doctor directed to conduct a post-mortem examination 19
23 Consideration of immediate family 19
24 Reconsideration of decisions 20
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25 Previous attending doctor entitled to observe post-mortem
examination 20
27 Warrant for exhumation of body or recovery of ashes 21
29 Form of warrant for exhumation 22
30 Reinterment of remains or ashes 23
31 Removal of body or ashes for purposes of inquest outside the ACT 23
32 Report by doctor or analyst 24
33 Assistance at post-mortems etc 24
34 Hearings 25
34A Decision not to conduct hearing 25
35 Time and place of hearing 25
36 Adjournment of hearing 25
37 Notification of immediate family 26
38 Notice relating to conduct of hearing 26
39 Inquests into non-custodial deaths and inquiries—discretion to appoint
counsel assisting 26
39A Functions of counsel assisting 27
39B Counsel assisting—revocation of appointment 28
40 Hearing in public except in certain cases 28
41 Hearing to be held without jury 29
42 Representation at hearing 29
42A Appearance by audiovisual or audio links 29
43 Power of coroner to subpoena witnesses etc 30
44 Service of subpoena on witness 31
45 Arrest of witness 32
46 People about to leave ACT—examination and production of
documents etc 33
47 Rules of evidence do not apply 34
48 Evidence 34
49 Record of proceedings 35
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contents 4 Coroners Act 1997
50 Informal request for evidence 36
51 Access to documents etc 36
51A Practice and procedure for inquests and inquiries 36
51B Privilege in relation to self-incrimination in coronial inquest or inquiry 37
52 Coroner’s findings 39
53 Interim findings 40
54 Requests for copies of findings 40
55 Adverse comment in findings or reports 40
56 Notification of registrar-general 41
57 Report after inquest or inquiry 41
57A Correction of errors 43
58 Procedure where evidence of indictable offence or indictment to be
presented 43
58A When inquest or inquiry may proceed—s 58 45
59 Investigators 46
60 Coroner not to be called as witness 47
61 Coroner not required to view the subject matter of inquest or inquiry 47
62 Coroner may act on a Sunday 47
63 Police assistance 47
64 Request for hearing or for reconsideration of certain decisions 48
65 Restriction of access 50
66 Search warrants 50
67 Inspection and retention of seized things 52
68 Chief Coroner—power to hold fresh inquest or inquiry 53
68A Coroner to give information to immediate family 53
68B Definitions—pt 5A 55
68C Coronial investigation scene order 55
68D Establishment of coronial investigation scene 57
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68E Coronial investigation scene powers 57
68F Senior police officer may establish scene for expected coronial
investigation 58
68G Exercise of investigation scene powers under pt 5A 60
68H Part does not limit other powers 60
Part 6 Deaths in care and deaths in custody—
additional provisions
69 Consideration of deceased’s family etc 61
70 Viewing of body etc 61
71 Post-mortem examinations by pathologists 62
72 Inquest into death in care or death in custody—appointment of counsel
assisting 62
73 Records of deaths in care and deaths in custody 63
74 Findings about quality of care, treatment and supervision 63
75 Copies of reports of findings 63
76 Response to reports 64
76A Application of Criminal Code, ch 7 65
77 Obligation to report death 65
78 Obligation to report death in care or death in custody 66
83 Improper dealing with body or ashes of dead person 66
89 Acts and omissions of representatives 67
90 Application to hold hearing for inquest or inquiry into fire 69
91 Supreme Court—general 69
92 Supreme Court—power to order inquest or inquiry 69
93 Supreme Court—power to quash, or order fresh, inquest or inquiry 70
Part 9 Witness expenses and other amounts
98 Witness expenses 71
99 Amounts payable to assistants 71
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contents 6 Coroners Act 1997
99A Contempt of Coroner’s Court 72
99B Protection if information given to coroner 72
100 Deaths in institutions—retention of records of dead person 73
100A Attorney-general may make guidelines for responses 74
101 Court seal 74
102 Annual report of court 74
103 Regulation-making power 76
Schedule 1 Oath or affirmation of office 77
Part 1.1 77
Part 1.2 78
Dictionary 79
1 About the endnotes 83
2 Abbreviation key 83
3 Legislation history 84
4 Amendment history 92
5 Earlier republications 104
6 Expired transitional or validating provisions 108
An Act to provide for the holding of inquests into deaths and inquiries into fires
and disasters, and for related purposes