Inquest records

Research Guide to inquest records at Queensland State Archives.

Inquests are magisterial inquiries or court hearings held before a Coroner to establish the cause of death. This includes the identity of the deceased, when, where and how death occurred and whether any person is to be charged with a criminal offence. Copies of depositions of witnesses, the Coroner’s inquisition (a prescribed form setting out the details of the case and the Coroner’s finding) and other relevant documents for all inquests held in Queensland are forwarded to the Justice Department, and then to Queensland State Archives.

A coroner generally prepares a report for any sudden, unexpected death. Under Queensland legislation, a coroner is required to conduct preliminary enquiries into all deaths that occur under a certain set of circumstances. Under the Coroners Act 2003, deaths subject to a Coroner’s inquiry include: unnatural deaths such as accidents, suicides and homicides; deaths where the cause is unknown or where the deceased did not see a doctor in the preceding 3 months; or certain special deaths, such as those occurring in a prison or under anaesthetic. These set of circumstances have varied only slightly since the Inquests of Death Act 1866. Upon completion of this preliminary enquiry, the Coroner decides if the death warrants a full inquest. Very few coronial investigations proceed to an inquest. In certain circumstances, inquests into fires may also be held, as well as enquiries with respect to missing persons.

Inquest files are held at QSA from 1859 onwards.