'Coroner's inquest' definitions:
Definition of 'Coroner's inquest'
From: GCIDE
- Inquest \In"quest\, n. [OE. enqueste, OF. enqueste, F. enqu[^e]te, LL. inquesta, for inquisita, fr. L. inquisitus, p. p. of inquirere. See Inquire.]
- 1. Inquiry; quest; search. [R.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
- The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul must make after science. --South. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Law) (a) Judicial inquiry; official examination, esp. before a jury; as, a coroner's inquest in case of a sudden death. (b) A body of men assembled under authority of law to inquire into any matter, civil or criminal, particularly any case of violent or sudden death; a jury, particularly a coroner's jury. The grand jury is sometimes called the grand inquest. See under Grand. (c) The finding of the jury upon such inquiry. [1913 Webster]
- Coroner's inquest, an inquest held by a coroner to determine the cause of any violent, sudden, or mysterious death. See Coroner.
- Inquest of office, an inquiry made, by authority or direction of proper officer, into matters affecting the rights and interests of the crown or of the state. --Craig. Bouvier. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Coroner's inquest'
From: GCIDE
- Coroner \Cor"o*ner\ (k?r"?-n?r), n. [From OE. coronen to crown, OF. coroner, fr. L. coronare, fr. corona crown. Formed as a translation of LL. coronator coroner, fr. L. corona crown, the coroner having been originally a prosecuting officer of the crown. See Crown.] An officer of the peace whose principal duty is to inquire, with the help of a jury, into the cause of any violent, sudden or mysterious death, or death in prison, usually on sight of the body and at the place where the death occurred. [In England formerly also written and pronounced crowner.] [1913 Webster]
- Note: In some of the United States the office of coroner is abolished, that of medical examiner taking its place. [1913 Webster]
- Coroner's inquest. See under Inquest. [1913 Webster]