R (Worthington) v Senior Coroner for Cumbria [2018] EWHC 3386 (Admin) When public funding for deserving families at inquests is so hard to come by it is mystifying how the Legal Aid Agency can make a decision to spend their limited funds on an apparently unmeritorious challenge to inquest conclusions by one who was involved, […]
The Senior Coroner for Inner West London, Dr Fiona Wilcox, has made a report to prevent future deaths[1] (a “PFD report”) in connection with her investigation into deaths following the Grenfell Tower fire. Her report, issued on 19 September 2018, is a good illustration of the potential breadth of a coroner’s powers: the report focuses […]
In the matter of Hugh Jordan [2018] NICA 34 As the ongoing Maughan[1] litigation focuses minds on the standard of proof applicable for a suicide finding at an inquest, it is perhaps surprising how little thought is given to the issue of the burden of proof at an inquest. However, in the latest episode in […]
Read More… from Article 2 inquests and the burden of proof when the answer is “there is no answer”
Inquest Law Seminars Barristers from Serjeants’ Inn Chambers are available to present lectures and seminars on all aspects of Inquest Law. Our experienced inquest counsel, three of whom also sit as Assistant Coroners, are available to provide in-house training around the country whether small workshops at solicitors offices or at larger national meetings Recent seminars that have been […]
R (Maughan) v HM Senior Coroner Oxfordshire and others [2018] EWHC 1955 (Admin) In a roller-coaster judgment the High Court has revolutionised the approach to the conclusion of suicide in the coroner’s courts and has determined that whether the deceased died as a result of suicide is to be determined on the civil standard of […]
Read More… from This was probably suicide: the criminal standard of proof is no longer required.