Coroners' jurisdiction to hold inquest into death
15 Coroners' jurisdiction to hold inquest into death
(1) Where a coroner has jurisdiction to investigate a death and either the body of the deceased person is in the Territory or it appears to the coroner that the death or the cause of the death occurred in the Territory, the coroner must hold an inquest if:
(a) the deceased was, immediately before death, a person held in care and custody; or
(b) the death was caused or contributed to by injuries sustained while the deceased was held in custody; or
the identity of the deceased is not known.
(1A) Where a coroner has jurisdiction to investigate a death, the coroner may, if he or she thinks fit, hold an inquest if:
(a) the body of the deceased person is in the Territory or it appears to the coroner that the death, or the cause of death, occurred in the Territory; and
the coroner suspects unlawful killing.
(2) A coroner who has jurisdiction to investigate a death may hold an inquest as the coroner thinks fit.
(3) A coroner who has jurisdiction to investigate a death may hold an inquest even if:
(a) the body of the deceased person is not in the Territory or is in a place from which it cannot be recovered or has been destroyed; or
the cause of death occurred outside the Territory.
This Act’s bill:Second reading speech
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