Coroner's court case files

[Chickenshavenolips]

Not sure if this is the right section, but...

I was wondering if it was possible to view a coroner's case finding online. I have the name of the deceased, the date of the court and the district. My husband took part in proceedings, and I feel it might help him to be able to review the evidence that led the coroner to make her decision.

[Ivykaty44]

No it is not - coroners files are usually kept by the coroner for the first 30 years, they are not avialable for public open access (although with FOI you can in somecases gain access to these files)

After 30 years the coroners case files are deposited with the county archive who then store them on behalf of the coroner and the files remain the property of the coroner and if you wish to view them you will need to contact the archive and they will contact the coroner on your behalf.

This is until the files are 75 years old and then you can view the case files if they have survived and they are held in the archive.

[Ivykaty44]

Oh and just put the request in writing, and explain why you want to see them - then post to either coroner or archive.

[Chickenshavenolips]

Thanks. The inquest was held in 2001, so I suppose that rules that out. Do you think it might be worth writing to the coroner anyway, and seeing if she can send her final statement?

[Ivykaty44]

I would write to the coroner and ask - you have nothing to lose by doing so and everything to gain i the answer is yes.

Make sure you put any relevant relationship or reason why you want to look at the file from 2001.

What I will say is prepare yourself, coroners files are not very pretty and I don't know the circumstances but please just be careful.

[Chickenshavenolips]

Thank you for your help. We certainly wouldn't want all of the information, just perhaps the transcript from the actual court proceedings IYSWIM? Knowing the details of the circumstances of the death would hopefully put some things to rest.

[Ivykaty44]

As far as I am aware - they give the whole ile across and dont keep bits of the file back.

You see if they agree to someone seeing the file, then were to keep bits back well that would be seen and deemed as wrong - as FOI is about just that and getting all the file to see.

I would make sure that you ask what is going to be given over if you are granted permission to see the file - as there is no point in getting permission and getting the whole file if that is going to actually make matters worse not better.

I dont know how this person deid so I cant say how it would be, coroners files often have photographs and are very factual and clear on how that person died.

I hope this helps

[Chickenshavenolips]

Damn Ok, thank you for your advice. DH is mulling over whether or not to write to the coroner. It was just an idea to try and help him get past a terrible incident, but perhaps it is best to let it lie.

[Lilymaid]

If you want to enquire about a transcript you would need to contact the chief clerk of the court. I'm not sure that a verbatim record would be made of all cases and if you required a transcription it would cost a lot of money. There is some useful information on the Coroner's Society website

[Chickenshavenolips]

There was a stenographer in the court (I remember a lady bashing away on a typewriter type thingummy ) so I assumed that there would be a transcript.

Anyway, I have contacted the relevant coroner's office and spoken to a lovely lady who has told me that it will be at the coroner's discretion to release any information. She was sympathetic to my DH's situation, and said that if he wrote to the coroner and explained, she might be able to give a very heavily edited version. He is thinking about it, but it is nice to know that there is something he could practically do if he wanted to IYSWIM.

Thanks to those of you in the know