New Zealand Legislation: Acts

63 Decision whether to open and conduct inquiry

• In deciding whether to open and conduct an inquiry, a coroner must have regard to the following matters:

  • (a) whether or not the causes of the death concerned appear to have been natural; and

  • (b) in the case of a death that appears to have been unnatural or violent, whether or not it appears to have been due to the actions or inaction of any other person; and

  • (c) the existence and extent of any allegations, rumours, suspicions, or public concern, about the death; and

  • (d) the extent to which the drawing of attention to the circumstances of the death may be likely to reduce the chances of the occurrence of other deaths in similar circumstances; and

  • (e) the desire of any members of the immediate family of the person who is or appears to be the person concerned that an inquiry should be conducted; and

  • (f) any other matters the coroner thinks fit.

  Compare: 1988 No 111 s 20(1)