New Zealand Legislation: Acts

60 Deaths into which inquiries must be opened

• (1) A coroner to whom a death is reported under section 15(2)(a) or section 16(2)(b) must open and conduct an inquiry into it—

  • (a) if it appears to have been—

    • (i) self-inflicted; or

    • (ii) a death in official custody or care (as defined in section 9); or

  • (b) if the coroner is not satisfied that the matters required by this Act to be established by an inquiry are already adequately disclosed in respect of the death by information arising from investigations or examinations the coroner has made or caused to be made.

  (2) This section is subject to section 59 (jurisdiction of coroners to open inquiries) and section 61 (deaths where coroner may decide not to open inquiries).

  Compare: 1988 No 111 s 17