coroner's inquest

Webster's Dictionary (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]

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]