Evidence

The coroner’s court is generally inquisitorial in nature and the rules of evidence do not apply (s 51). Most evidence at inquest is tendered to the coroner through counsel assisting or the coroners’ associate. Parties may also tender evidence; however, the coroner decides which evidence will be admitted.

The type of evidence is also slightly different to that used in a criminal or civil court. As the coroner is not bound by the rules of evidence, they have greater discretion as to what types of evidence they will admit (i.e. coroners can admit hearsay and non-expert opinion evidence). This does not mean everything will be admitted. The scope of an inquest is defined by the issues, and the question of whether the evidence is relevant to those issues is paramount. The rules of natural justice apply, including all aspects of procedural fairness such as the right of parties to be informed of, and given the opportunity to answer, any evidence that may invite adverse findings against them (Annetts and Anor v McCann and Ors. (1990) 170 CLR 596).

Evidence can be oral (given by reading statements and answering questions in court) or written (in the form of a document) or even physical (such as an article of clothing). Most commonly, evidence is given orally by anyone who has relevant information to provide the coroner about the death, fire or explosion under investigation.

Oral evidence

Oral evidence is evidence that is spoken aloud in court. Any witness who gives oral evidence must take an oath or an affirmation, which is a promise to tell the truth. Oral evidence includes evidence given by witnesses in examination-in-chief, cross-examination and re-examination. It also includes a deposition or affidavit read to the court (r 3, definition of deposition and r 20). Most oral evidence is subject to a prior affidavit. The witness is given an affidavit containing the statement they made earlier in the investigation, and then asked to read it aloud to the court and answer questions about it. Sometimes a witness is not required to come to court and their affidavit will be read into evidence by the counsel assisting or coroners’ associate, or taken as read.

For more information on being a witness in the coroner’s court, please refer to A Guide for Families and Friends: The coroner’s court and me.

Written evidence

Written evidence can be any document that is relevant to the proceedings; the majority of these documents are affidavits. The documents may include witness statements, the post mortem report, expert reports and any relevant regulations or codes of practice. There is no formal discovery process in coronial proceedings; distribution of documents is usually arranged on application. Any person with a ‘sufficient interest’ in a particular document can apply to access that document or to have a copy made for a fee. Please note that a person with a sufficient interest in one document is not the same as an ‘interested person’ for the purposes of section 52.

Most documents will be tendered from the coronial file to the court by the counsel assisting or coroner’s associate. Parties may also tender documents; however, it is the decision of the coroner which documents will be admitted. Unlike in criminal proceedings, witness statements, depositions and affidavits are often tendered without the maker being present in court (r 20).

Physical evidence

Physical evidence is any evidence that is not oral or written – “things” which the coroner may use to aid them in their fact-finding. More bulky items are collected by the police and held at a police station, with photographs of the items added to the investigation file. Examples of physical evidence include photographs, clothing and samples of fibres. Medical physical evidence such as blood samples are not tendered in court. Instead, expert reports are prepared by persons such as toxicologists, pathologists and treating specialists explaining the results of their examination of the samples.

For more information on how to provide information to the coroner, please refer to A Guide for Families and Friends: How can I give information to the coroner?.

Items seized by police

Police will retain items in a coronial investigation in two situations, the first is for safekeeping and the second is as exhibits / evidence. All items taken by police are held at the ‘police property store’ at the relevant police station (most commonly Hobart or Launceston).

Items taken for safekeeping, such as a deceased person’s wallet, keys, jewellery or watch, can be returned upon request as they are not held ‘in the custody of the coroner’. For the return of these items, please contact the coroner’s court and speak with an associate to arrange a time to collect the items.

Items seized by police as exhibits / evidence remain in the custody of the coroner until they make an order as to care and control, or until the findings are handed down, whichever occurs first. If a coroner does make a care and control order (s 60) the item can be returned, however it remains in the custody of the coroner and so it must not be altered or disposed of until the findings are handed down. For example, if an order is made returning a laptop, the laptop cannot be sold or any files deleted. Any item that the coroner reasonably believes to be relevant to the investigation can be seized by police under the authority of the coroner (s 59), including items such as motor vehicles or mobile phones.

At the conclusion of an investigation, the coroner will generally release property to the person from whom the item was seized, or the senior next of kin. If there is a dispute over ownership of an item then you may apply to the coroner for custody, care, control or disposition of the item under section 61 of the Act.

For more information on applications in the coroner’s court, refer to Key Elements in the Process: Applications.