Chief Coroner
The head of the coroner system for England and Wales, a role created by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The Chief Coroner provides national leadership and training, makes formal orders under the 2009 Act, and reports annually to Parliament through the Lord Chancellor.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
The Chief Coroner heads the coroner service of England and Wales and is responsible for promoting and developing the coroner reforms introduced under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The role includes providing training and guidance for coroners and coroners' officers, making formal orders under the 2009 Act, sitting in the High Court on inquest appeals, and holding special responsibility for military death cases. The Chief Coroner reports annually to Parliament through the Lord Chancellor, and the office does not extend to Scotland or Northern Ireland, which have separate systems.
Coroners themselves are independent judicial office holders who investigate deaths that are violent or unnatural, of unknown cause, or that occur in prison, police custody or other state detention. England and Wales are currently divided into 81 coroner areas served by 453 coroners — 75 senior coroners, 25 area coroners and 353 assistant coroners — with the Chief Coroner providing the national leadership and consistency of practice across that structure.
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Official sources
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