Legal Definitions - inquisition after death

Inquisition after death is an inquiry conducted by a coroner or medical examiner, sometimes with the help of a jury, to determine the cause of death of a person who has died under suspicious circumstances or in prison. It is also known as a coroner's inquest or inquest after death.

• A man dies in his home under mysterious circumstances. The coroner conducts an inquisition after death to determine the cause of death.
• A prisoner dies in custody. The medical examiner conducts an inquest after death to determine the cause of death.

These examples illustrate how an inquisition after death is used to investigate the cause of death in suspicious circumstances.