Western Australian Consolidated Acts

CORONERS ACT 1996

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

           Long Title

   PART 1 -- Preliminary  

   1.      Short title  
   2.      Commencement  
   3.      Interpretation  
   4.      Common law rules to cease to have effect

   PART 2 -- Coroners and Coroner’s court

           Division 1 -- Coroner’s court  

   5.      Establishment of court

           Division 2 -- State Coroner and other coroners  

   6.      State Coroner  
   7.      Deputy State Coroner  
   7A.     Acting Deputy State Coroner  
   8.      Functions of State Coroner  
   9.      Oath of office  
   10.     Delegation  
   11.     Coroners

           Division 3 -- Coroner’s registrars and investigators  

   12.     Coroner’s registrars  
   13.     Functions of coroner’s registrars  
   14.     Appointment of coroner’s investigators  
   15.     Affidavits

           Division 4 -- Counselling  

   16.     Counselling

   PART 3 -- Reporting of deaths  

   17.     Obligation to report death  
   18.     Information to the coroner

   PART 4 -- Investigation of deaths

           Division 1 -- General powers and duties of coroners  

   19.     Jurisdiction of coroner to investigate a death  
   20.     Information to be provided to next of kin  
   21.     Directions by State Coroner  
   22.     Jurisdiction of coroner to hold inquest into a death  
   23.     Investigation of suspected deaths  
   24.     Application for inquest into death  
   25.     Findings and comments of coroner  
   26.     Record of findings and comments  
   26A.    Access to evidence  
   27.     Reports  
   28.     Notification of reported deaths to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages  
   29.     Certificate of disposal of body  
   30.     Control of body  
   31.     Aid to coroners in other places

           Division 2 -- Powers of investigation  

   32.     Restriction of access to area  
   33.     Powers of entry, inspection and possession  
   34.     Post mortem examinations  
   35.     Independent doctor at post mortem examination  
   36.     Application for post mortem examination  
   37.     Objections to post mortem examinations  
   38.     Exhumation

   PART 5 -- Inquests into deaths  

   39.     Advertisement of an inquest  
   40.     Two or more deaths  
   41.     Rules of evidence not to apply  
   42.     Rights of interested persons  
   43.     Attorney General may appear at inquest  
   44.     Other persons may appear at inquest  
   45.     Exclusion from an inquest  
   46.     Powers of coroners at inquests  
   46A.    Disobeying coroner  
   47.     Statements made by witness  
   48.     Record of evidence  
   49.     Restriction on publication of reports  
   50.     Reference to a disciplinary body  
   51.     Interruption of an inquest  
   52.     New inquests and re-opening of inquests  
   53.     Inquest not to proceed where criminal proceedings instituted

   PART 6 -- Miscellaneous  

   53A.    State Coroner may provide information about deaths to human tissue donation agencies  
   54.     Obstruction  
   55.     Protection from legal proceedings  
   56.     Coroner not to be called as witness  
   57.     Review of Act  
   58.     Guidelines  
   59.     Regulations

   PART 7 -- Repeal of Coroners Act 1920, amendment of certain other Acts and savings provision  

   62.     Application of Act to deaths which occurred before Act came into operation
           Compilation table