Authorisation of Persons to Conduct Inquests.

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A decision made (14/12/2006) regarding Inquests: Authorisation of Persons to Conduct Inquests.

Subject:	Inquests: Authorisation of Persons to Conduct Inquests
Decision Reference:	MD-C-2006-0057		Exempt clause(s):	n/a
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Written		Person Giving Report (if oral):	n/a
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?	n/a		Report File ref:	n/a
Written report – Title	Draft Departments of the Judiciary and the Legislature (Amendment No. 4) (Jersey) Law 200-
Written report – Author (name and job title)	Jeremy Harris, Policy Adviser
Decision(s): To approve a draft law, entitled the draft Departments of the Judiciary and the Legislature (Amendment No. 4) (Jersey) Law 200-. The purpose of this draft Law is to provide greater flexibility for the conduct of inquests by empowering the Viscount to authorise not just the Deputy Viscount, but any other person (whether or not an officer of the Viscount’s Department) who is approved by the Bailiff to discharge the Viscount’s function of conducting a particular inquest or inquests generally.
Reason(s) for decision: (1) It is considered desirable that there should be greater flexibility for the authorisation of persons to conduct inquests. The current arrangements for the designation of a relief coroner are felt to be cumbersome, and are ill-suited to cater for situations such as a disaster involving many casualties.
Action required: JH to arrange with the States Greffe for the draft law to be lodged ‘au Greffe’ for consideration by the States on 30th January 2007.
Signature: Chief Minister		Date of Decision: 14th December 2006