What will I expect as a witness?

Witnesses are there to assist the Coroner in finding out how a person came about their death. There are situations where witnesses will not be called to give oral evidence and written reports will suffice. If needed, the Coroner will send a summons for your attendance which you must act on as soon as possible.
 
The Coroner will call you to the witness stand and from there you will take either the oath or affirmation. This can be done on the holy book or your choice of a non-religious way.
 
You will then be taken through your statement. This is nothing to worry about. If you don’t remember this fully, you will have the chance to add, confirm or change anything. The Coroner or other parties will then ask any questions they wish. These questions could be from legal representatives or other organisations which have had contact with your relative.
 
The Coroner will usually release you after you have given your evidence.