About the coroner

The Senior Coroner for East Sussex is Laura Bradford, an independent judicial officer presiding over a Court of Record within the English Judicial system.

East Sussex also has four Assistant Coroners, namely James Healy-Pratt, Fiona King, Rachel Redman and Michael Spencer.

Although appointed and paid by the Local Authority, the Coroner is not a local government officer but holds office under the Crown and operates independently of East Sussex County Council, Sussex Police and all other institutions.

What do Coroners do?

Coroners discharge their duties in accordance with the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and other relevant legislation.

Coroners are responsible for the investigation of all violent or unnatural deaths, sudden deaths of unknown cause and deaths in custody/state detention which are reported to them.

A death may be reported for several reasons. It does not mean that there is anything suspicious about the death, it may be that the doctor is unsure of the exact cause or that the person has died earlier than expected, suffered from an industrial disease, died during a surgical operation, or before recovery from an anaesthetic, for example.

In certain circumstances an inquest may be required. The inquest may investigate shortcomings by others that have led to a death, but a Coroner cannot find that any individual or organisation is legally liable for a death.

The role of Coroner’s Officers

East Sussex Coroner Service has a team of eight Coroner’s Officers who will liaise with bereaved families, witnesses, police, doctors and funeral directors. They will also be the main link between the Coroner and the bereaved at all stages of an investigation and inquest.

In East Sussex, the Coroner's Officers are employed by East Sussex County Council, but they all work under the direction of the Coroner. This is an important safeguard to uphold the interests of fairness and justice.

The Guide to coroner services and coroner investigations (GOV.UK) provides further information including the standards of performance expected from the East Sussex Coroner service. It also provides details of other services that may be useful to bereaved persons, including details of how to make a complaint.

What happens when somebody dies

We understand how difficult it can be when someone close to us dies. The feelings of shock, sadness, loss and bewilderment can be very strong. It is also a time when there are many things to be done, just when we may feel least able to do them.

The Coroner’s Office will do all they can to help you during this time.

The Bereavement Advice Centre supports and advises people on what they need to do after a death.

What do I do if someone dies suddenly?

The first thing to do is contact your GP or the local police.

The police can act for the Coroner and arrange for a local funeral director to move the deceased if they need to.

In most cases the deceased’s own doctor or a hospital doctor will be able to give a medical cause of death. If the death happens at night or at a weekend there may be a delay in contacting the deceased’s GP.

Why are the police involved?

In some cases, the police act as Coroner’s Officers. It is not always possible for an officer to be in plain clothes, so they may be in uniform. In this case, he or she will not be acting as a police officer. A full-time Coroner’s Officer may also attend.

A visit by the police should not make anybody think there is anything suspicious about the death.

The purpose of the visit is to get all the information that the Coroner needs to conduct their enquiries. They will also make sure they have the correct personal information to give to the Registrar.

You will have a named Coroner’s Officer and the phone number for the Coroner’s office. They will be able to answer any questions you may have.

The duties of a Coroner’s Officer are:

to act as the representative of the Coroner in the investigation of any death
to gather all the circumstances surrounding the death of an individual
to attend some scenes of death including out of hours on a callout basis
to liaise with the family about the procedures involved in the conduct of the Coroner’s inquiry
to contact the Coroner on your behalf (if you want them to)
to guide you through the time leading up to an Inquest if one is necessary, and
to liaise with the witnesses about their involvement in the Inquest

What if a post mortem is required?

If the Coroner needs a post-mortem examination, they will choose a pathologist. The pathologist will often be independent from the hospital trust. The coroner’s officer will discuss this with you and give you all the details.

What happens if the deceased wished to be an organ donor?

If the deceased wanted to donate their organs or tissue, you need to ask the Coroner if they have any objections. They will get the relevant information from medical staff and decide whether to object to donation.

The Coroner is very keen to support organ donation and to follow the wishes of the person who has died. They must also make sure that any donation will not interfere with the duty to investigate the cause of death. In some cases, the Coroner will not be able to give permission.

Why are organs sometimes removed from the body of the deceased and what happens to these?

Sometimes the pathologist must carry out a more detailed investigation of particular organs to find out the cause of death. If this happens then the pathologist will tell the Coroner how long they need to keep the organs for. The Coroner will tell the family of this and ask them what they wish to happen to the organs at the end of that period.

Usually, the pathologist only needs to take a very small sample of an organ, rather than removing the whole organ. This sample then forms part of the deceased’s medical records.

More information is available from the Human Tissue Authority.

When can I get a death certificate or interim death certificate?

When the doctor gives the Coroner a cause of death, the doctor and the Coroner will notify the Registrar of the death. This usually happens within 24 hours.

You can then book an appointment to register the death.

You will not be able to get a full death certificate if the Coroner has decided to hold an inquest or is waiting for results (such as tissue analysis). You can get the full death certificate after the inquest once the investigation finishes.

If you need proof that someone has died, you can ask the Coroner to give you an Interim Certificate as to the Fact of Death (Interim Death Certificate). This can help you deal with banks, insurance companies and other places that need official proof.

You can take the interim certificate to a register office or email it to registrar@eastsussex.gov.uk to use the Tell Us Once service.

The interim certificate is not a death certificate. You can order the death certificate from the register office later. Order a death certificate.

Post-mortem examinations

Why have a post-mortem?

A post-mortem is an examination of the body of a person who has died. It is sometimes referred to as an autopsy.

If the deceased’s own GP or the hospital doctor cannot give a medical cause of death then an examination must take place to determine the cause.

Can I object to a post-mortem?

Although the Coroner will be mindful of any views held by members of the family it is for the Coroner alone to decide whether a post-mortem must take place. The Coroner has a legal duty to ascertain the cause of death, and if a doctor cannot satisfy the Coroner of this then a post-mortem examination must take place.

Who organises and pays for the transport of the deceased to and from the post-mortem?

The Coroner’s office will organise the transportation of the deceased to the mortuary.

You are not obliged to retain the services of the funeral director appointed by the Coroner to transport the body of the deceased and may appoint a funeral director of your choice to collect from the mortuary and organise the funeral.

Do I have to accept the result of a post-mortem?

No. You can ask the Coroner for a second post-mortem but this will be at your cost and you will need to make all the arrangements yourself.

Will a post-mortem delay the funeral?

Not usually. The Coroner and pathologist understand the family's wish to deal with matters promptly, particularly in cases where religious or cultural beliefs require a funeral to be held within a particular time period.

However there are some cases where a slight delay occurs. In such cases an explanation will be given to the family together with an estimate of how long the delay will be.

Can I have a copy of the post-mortem report?

You may request a copy of the post-mortem report from the Coroner's Office. You must be a 'properly interested person' (usually immediate family).

Please be aware that reports will be written in clinical language and may contain detailed and sensitive information that may be confusing or upsetting. It would be advisable to seek advice from a medical professional, to discuss it.

The Coroner’s Officer can only provide a limited explanation.

Inquests

An inquest is a judicial process and a Coroner’s Court is a court of law.

The purpose of an inquest is to establish who the deceased person was, and when, where and how they died. However, unlike other court processes, the Coroner’s inquest is an inquiry and not a trial.

There are no ‘parties’ and the coroner does not make ‘judgments’ about possible issues of blame or liability. An inquest is generally a fact-finding and not a fault-finding process.

In certain circumstances however, where a state organisation may have had responsibility for the person who has died, then the scope of the inquest will be wider and the hearing more comprehensive considering not only how the person died but also the circumstances in which the death occurred.

When will the inquest be held?

The vast majority of inquests are held within six months of the death.

Where will the inquest take place?

From 1 April 2025, inquests will be held at Coroner's Court at Westfield House

Coroner's Court

Westfield House

Lewes

BN7 1UE

Media and other observers

Inquest hearings are held in public and members of the public, including the media, are welcome to attend in person to observe.

Remote attendance

The coroner has the power (but not a duty) to permit members of the public, including the media, to attend a hearing remotely by video or audio link. Any application to observe a hearing remotely must be made in writing to Coroner's Officers , by 10am the day before the hearing, explaining why permission is sought and providing the name and address of each proposed observer. Applications will be considered in accordance with Chief Coroner's Guidance No. 42 (remote hearings).

It is a summary offence and a contempt of court to record or transmit or attempt to record or transmit any video, image or sound of any Court hearing. That includes transmitting or recording a hearing taking place via video link or taking or allowing anyone else to take any screenshot or video capture of the hearing using any device, including a phone.

Do I have to go to the inquest?

You will normally need to attend if the coroner calls you as a witness.

Inquests are public hearings and anyone may attend.

What happens in an inquest?

The coroner will introduce the inquest explaining who everyone is and what will be happening.

The coroner will call and question the relevant witnesses who have to give evidence either by swearing an oath or making a declaration.

Family members and other properly ‘interested persons’ can ask questions of the witnesses after the coroner has done so.

The coroner will read any relevant statements.

The coroner will summarise the evidence and then pronounce the conclusion (or where there is a jury, give them directions as to the range of conclusions which they can consider).

Will I have some support?

Yes. The Coroner’s Officer will be present to assist.

Find additional: local support services.

What is an inquest in writing?

These inquests are not heard in open court.

For an inquest in writing to take place, coroners would have invited representations from family and interested persons as to whether there should be a formal hearing. In these cases, there is unlikely to be any disagreement in respect of the findings of the inquest and conducting a hearing would not be in the public interest. The coroner will provide a written summary of their conclusion.

Why do some inquests have a jury?

A jury will only be required in certain circumstances, in particular when the death occurs in prison or police custody or results from an accident at work.

The procedure of a jury inquest is somewhat different, however the function and purpose remains the same.

What does it mean if I am called to serve on a Coroner’s jury?

The coroner will explain at the start of the inquest everything that is expected of the jury in dealing with the case.

You will be able to claim allowances at prescribed rates for travelling, subsistence and for financial loss (such as loss of earnings) if you are called to serve on a jury.

What does being called as a witness to an inquest entail?

The coroner makes the decision as to who should be called as witnesses to the inquest.

You will be told of the witnesses who are to attend. If you want to suggest the coroner should call any additional person then you can ask the coroner to consider calling such a person but the final decision will rest with the coroner.

The coroner can issue a formal notice requiring a witness to attend and to produce any relevant document to the inquest. If the person fails to attend then the coroner may consider issuing a warrant enforcing their attendance.

The coroner may decide to read written evidence at the inquest if it is not possible for the witness to give evidence at the inquest within a reasonable time, if there is a good reason why they should not attend or it is believed they will not attend the inquest or the evidence is unlikely to be disputed.

The coroner will seek the views of the bereaved family and any interested persons before making a decision in this respect.

What happens when someone has been charged with causing the death?

In these circumstances the coroner will adjourn the inquest until after the criminal court proceedings have been concluded. It may then be unnecessary to reopen the inquest.

Do I have to accept the conclusion of the inquest?

It is sometimes possible to challenge the conclusion of the inquest by way of an application to the High Court for a judicial review.

You should take legal advice about such a course of action as soon as possible after the coroner has made a decision.

What happens if an inquest reveals a situation in which further deaths may be prevented and lessons could be learned?

At the conclusion of an inquest the coroner may decide, in certain limited circumstances, that action may need to be taken to prevent or reduce the possibility of further fatalities and send a report to any authority with power to take such action.

Anybody who receives such a report must provide a response and copies of the report and response will be sent to the immediate family members and other properly ‘interested persons’.

Current inquests

Inquest listings

Please use the link below to access the search facility for future inquest listings.

Inquests which have recently concluded can also be searched using the 'closed' or 'any' case states within the advanced search.

Coroners' inquest search

Treasure

All queries regarding treasure should be referred to the Finds Liaison Officer for Sussex, Jane Clark, on 01273 405 731 or emailed to flo@sussexpast.co.uk

Contact

Coroner contact details

The Coroner's Court and Office relocated to Lewes on 1 April 2025.

East Sussex Coroner's Court and Office