View the Coroner's inquest list

There are two ways that an Inquest can be concluded.

The first is an inquest concluded in a public hearing, conducted by a coroner in the Coroner’s Court, which seeks to establish who the deceased was and how, when and where they came by their death. A conclusion is then reached as to the death.

The second is an inquest concluded in writing in the Coroner’s Office where there is no dispute raised about who the deceased was and how, when and where they came by their death. The coroner will have deemed there are no reasonable grounds to object to such a conclusion, having considered the views of any properly interested person, and that there is no public interest served by holding a hearing in the Coroner’s Court.

If you discover an object in England that may be classed as treasure, you must report it to your local Finds Liaison Officer (FLO). The FLO will record the details of the find and prepare a report for the Coroner. This report helps the Coroner decide whether the item meets the legal definition of treasure. If it is believed to be treasure, and a museum expresses an interest in acquiring it, the Coroner will open an inquest.

A treasure inquest is held to establish whether the item is treasure in law, and to confirm who found it, as well as when and where the discovery was made.