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About the Coroner Service

A Coroner is an independent judicial office holder who is required by law to investigate deaths that are unnatural or violent, where the cause of death is unknown, or where the death occurred in prison, police custody or another type of state detention, such as in a mental health unit. 

Coroners have qualifications and substantial experience as a lawyer and/or doctor and are appointed directly by the Crown.  Coroners are completely independent and are not employed by the Local Authority, however, local Councils will fund the local Coroner Service.

What do Coroners do?

Coroners investigate deaths to find out who died and how, when, and where they died. This includes determining the medical cause of a person’s death.  The Coroner will investigate each case referred to them in an appropriate way, which may be as simple as consulting with the doctor who last treated the deceased, or authorising a post mortem examination.  

If a natural cause of death is established the Coroner’s investigation may then end, but in many cases the final stage of the Coroner investigation will be holding an Inquest, which is a public judicial inquiry into a death.

The Coroner’s Inquest may explore, uncover and/or record 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. Where relevant, that will be something the criminal or civil courts must decide. 

You will find more information about the Coroner role in the ‘Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People’ which is published by  the Ministry of Justice and is available here.

The role of Coroner’s Officers

The Coroner Service has a team of Coroner’s Officers who receive reports of deaths in the community, hospitals, other care settings and state detention and make appropriate inquiries as directed by the Coroner. 

Coroner’s Officers will liaise with bereaved families, witnesses, police, doctors and funeral directors.  Coroner’s Officers will be the main link between the Coroner and the bereaved at all stages of an investigation and inquest.   In West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, the Coroner's Officers are employed by West Sussex County Council, but they all work under the direction of the Coroner.

The Coroner’s Officer allocated by the Coroner to your case will correspond with you and keep you informed of progress.  Even where the Coroner is considering a matter you have raised, all communication with you is still likely to be with the Coroner’s Office because the coroner, as a judge, will not usually directly correspond with any inquest participants. 

If you attend an Inquest hearing you may also meet administrative and courtroom staff such as the court ushers.

Who’s who at the West Sussex, Brighton & Hove Coroner Service


His Majesty’s Senior Coroner 

Area Coroners (full-time)

Assistant Coroners (part time) 

Coroners Service Manager

Coroners Officers

PAs to Senior Coroner

Coroners Admin Team Manager

Administrative Staff