Warning
Info
Warning
Info
Simple English definitions for legal terms
inquisition after death
Read a random definition: source code
A quick definition of inquisition after death:
Inquisition after death: An investigation done by a coroner or medical examiner to find out how a person died if it was suspicious or if they died in prison. It can also be an inquiry into a certain matter by a jury. The finding of the jury is called an inquest. In the past, there was a big survey of the lands of England called the Grand Inquest or Great Survey. Another type of inquest is called inquest of office, which is an investigation into the Crown's right to property.
A more thorough explanation:
Inquisition after death is an inquiry conducted by a coroner or medical examiner, sometimes with the help of a jury, to determine the cause of death of a person who has died under suspicious circumstances or in prison. It is also known as a coroner's inquest or inquest after death.
- A man dies in his home under mysterious circumstances. The coroner conducts an inquisition after death to determine the cause of death.
- A prisoner dies in custody. The medical examiner conducts an inquest after death to determine the cause of death.
These examples illustrate how an inquisition after death is used to investigate the cause of death in suspicious circumstances.