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Coroners Court of Victoria

 The primary role of the Coroners Court of Victoria is to investigate unexpected death and fire. The counselling and support service provides assistance for bereaved families and others affected by deaths that are reported to the coroner.

In Victoria, the State Coroner has the responsibility to ensure that the coronial system is administered and operated efficiently and to oversee and coordinate coronial services.

The Coroners Court of Victoria (with the assistance of the Victoria Police - State Coroner's Investigation Unit) provides some of the legal, administrative and investigatory services necessary to investigate all forms of unnatural death. This may include, in some cases, a court function in the form of a public inquest hearing.

The coroner can be assisted in the investigation by a range of agencies or experts. These agencies or experts may include:

• WorkSafe
• Office of the Chief Electrical Inspector
• Office of Gas Safety
• engineers
• medical experts.
  

Police officers also assist coroners by providing additional resources to gather the facts in a range of cases that are not handled centrally by the State Coroner's Investigation Unit.

The coroner's role

The coroner's role is to establish the identity of the deceased and the cause and circumstances of death. The coroner will refer all cases where an offence may have occured, to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Under the Coroners Act 2008 coroners can make recommendations on public health and safety or the administration of justice. Coroners also have a separate jurisdiction to investigate fires.