inquest

An inquest is a formal legal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding a death or other notable event, conducted by a coroner, medical examiner, or other designated official. Its purpose is to establish essential facts about how and why the death occurred, rather than to determine criminal guilt. In many common law jurisdictions an inquest is required or triggered when a death is sudden, unexplained, violent, or occurred in custody or institutional care.

The proceedings are typically public. Evidence is presented by medical examiners or pathologists, investigators, and witnesses who observed the events. In some jurisdictions a jury is empanelled to determine a verdict on the manner of death—such as natural, accidental, suicide, homicide, or undetermined—or to identify contributing factors. In others, a judge or coroner issues a formal finding without a jury.

The outcome of an inquest is a finding or verdict that records cause of death and related circumstances. It may also include recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths, improving safety, or addressing systemic failures. While an inquest may influence subsequent investigations or prosecutions, its conclusions do not in themselves determine criminal liability.

Variations exist by jurisdiction. Some places use the term coroner's inquest or medical examiner's inquest and may place different procedures or roles on who presides and whether a jury is used. Inquiries into major disasters or public incidents may also be conducted under different statutory regimes.