Coroners and Justice Act 2009

1. Introduction

2. Summary

3. Background

   1. Part 1 - Coroners etc

   2. Part 2 - Criminal offences

   3. Part 3 - Criminal evidence, investigations and procedure

   4. Part 4 – Sentencing

   5. Part 5 - Miscellaneous criminal justice provisions

   6. Part 7 - Criminal memoirs etc

   7. Part 8 - Data Protection Act 1998

4. Territorial Extent

5. The Act

   1. Commentary on Sections

      1. Part 1 - Coroners etc

         1. Chapter 1: Investigations into deaths

            1. Section 1: Duty to investigate certain deaths

            2. Section 2: Request for other coroner to conduct investigation

            3. Section 3: Direction for other coroner to conduct investigation

            4. Section 4: Discontinuance where cause of death revealed by post-mortem examination

            5. Section 5: Matters to be ascertained

            6. Section 6: Duty to hold inquest

            7. Section 7: Whether jury required

            8. Section 8: Assembling a jury

            9. Section 9: Determinations and findings by jury

            10. Section 10: Determinations and findings to be made

            11. Section 11 and Schedule 1: Duty or power to suspend or resume investigations

                1. Paragraph 1: Suspension of investigation where certain criminal charges may be brought

                2. Paragraph 2: Suspension where certain criminal proceedings are brought

                3. Paragraphs 3 and 4: Suspension pending inquiry under Inquiries Act 2005

                4. Paragraph 5: General power to suspend

                5. Paragraph 6: Effect of suspension

                6. Paragraph 7: Resumption of investigation suspended under paragraph 1

                7. Paragraph 8: Resumption of investigation suspended under paragraph 2

                8. Paragraph 9: Resumption of investigation suspended under paragraph 3

                9. Paragraph 10: Resumption of investigation under paragraph 5

                10. Paragraph 11: Supplemental

            12. Section 12: Investigation in Scotland

            13. Section 13: Investigation in England and Wales despite body being brought to Scotland

            14. Section 14: Post-mortem examinations

            15. Section 15: Power to remove body

            16. Section 16:  Investigations lasting more than a year

            17. Section 17:  Monitoring of and training for investigations into deaths of service personnel

         2. Chapter 2:  Notification, certification and registration of deaths

            1. Section 18: Notification by medical practitioner to senior coroner

            2. Section 19: Medical examiners

            3. Section 20: Medical certificate of cause of death

            4. Section 21: National Medical Examiner

         3. Chapter 3: Coroner areas, appointments etc

            1. Section 22 and Schedule 2: Coroner areas

            2. Section 23 and Schedule 3: Appointment etc of senior coroners, area coroners and assistant coroners

               1. Part 1 – Appointment of senior, area and assistant coroners

               2. Part 2 – Qualifications of senior, area and assistant coroners

               3. Part 3 – Vacancies, and functions of area and assistant coroners

               4. Part 4 - Terms of office of senior, area and assistant coroners

            3. Section 24: Provision of staff and accommodation

         4. Chapter 4:  Investigations concerning Treasure

            1. Section 25 and Schedule 4:  Coroner for Treasure and Assistant Coroners for Treasure

               1. Part 1 – Appointment, qualifications and terms of office of Coroner for Treasure

               2. Part 2 – Designation and remuneration of Assistant Coroners for Treasure

               3. Part 3 – Miscellaneous

            2. Section 26:  Investigations concerning treasure

            3. Section 27:  Inquests concerning treasure

            4. Section 28:  Outcome of investigations concerning treasure

            5. Section 29:  Exception to duty to investigate

            6. Section 30: Duty to notify Coroner for Treasure etc of acquisition of certain objects

            7. Section 31:  Code of practice under the Treasure Act 1996

         5. Chapter 5: Further provisions to do with investigations and deaths

            1. Section 32 and Schedule 5: Powers of coroners

               1. Paragraph 1 and 2: Power to require evidence to be given or produced

               2. Paragraphs 3 to 5: Power of entry, search and seizure

               3. Paragraph 6: Exhumation of body for examination

               4. Paragraph 7: Action to prevent other deaths

            2. Section 33 and Schedule 6: Offences

            3. Section 34 and Schedule 7: Allowances, fees and expenses

         6. Chapter 6:  Governance etc

            1. Section 35 and Schedule 8: Chief Coroner and Deputy Chief Coroners

            2. Section 36:  Reports and advice to the Lord Chancellor from the Chief Coroner

            3. Section 37:  Regulations about training

            4. Section 38 and Schedule 9: Medical Adviser to the Chief Coroner

            5. Section 39: Inspection of coroner system

            6. Section 40: Appeals to the Chief Coroner

            7. Section 41 and Schedule 10: Investigation by Chief Coroner or Coroner for Treasure or by judge, former judge or former coroner

            8. Section 42:  Guidance by the Lord Chancellor

         7. Chapter 7: Supplementary

            1. Section 43: Coroners regulations

            2. Section 44: Treasure regulations

            3. Section 45: Coroners rules

            4. Section 46: Abolition of the office of coroner of the Queen’s household

            5. Section 47: “Interested person”

            6. Section 48: Interpretation: general

            7. Section 49 and Schedule 11:  Amendments to the Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959

            8. Section 50:  Amendments to the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976

            9. Section 51: Public funding for advocacy at certain inquests

      2. Part 2 - Criminal offences

         1. Chapter 1: Murder, infanticide and suicide

            1. Section 52:  Persons suffering from diminished responsibility (England and Wales)

            2. Section 53:  Persons suffering from diminished responsibility (Northern Ireland)

            3. Section 54:  Partial defence to murder: loss of control

            4. Section 55:  Meaning of “qualifying trigger”

            5. Section 56:  Abolition of common law defence of provocation

            6. Section 57:  Infanticide (England and Wales)

            7. Section 58:  Infanticide (Northern Ireland)

            8. Section 59:  Encouraging or assisting suicide: England and Wales

            9. Section 60:  Encouraging or assisting suicide (Northern Ireland)

            10. Section 61 and Schedule 12: Encouraging or assisting suicide: providers of information society services

         2. Chapter 2:  Images of children

            1. Section 62:  Possession of prohibited images of children

            2. Section 63:  Exclusion of classified film, etc

            3. Section 64:  Defences

            4. Section 65:  Meaning of “image” and “child”

            5. Section 66:  Penalties

            6. Section 67:  Entry, search, seizure and forfeiture

            7. Section 68 and Schedule 13: Special rules relating to providers of information society services

            8. Section 69: Indecent pseudo-photographs of children: marriage etc

         3. Chapter 3:  Other offences

            1. Section 70:  Genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes

            2. Section 71:  Slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour

            3. Section 72:  Conspiracy

            4. Section 73:  Abolition of common law libel offences etc

      3. Part 3 - Criminal evidence, investigations and procedure

         1. Chapter 1: Anonymity in investigations

            1. Section 74: Qualifying offences

            2. Section 75: Qualifying criminal investigations

            3. Section 76: Investigation anonymity orders

            4. Section 77: Applications

            5. Section 78: Conditions for making order

            6. Section 79: Appeal against refusal of order

            7. Section 80: Discharge of order

            8. Section 81: Delegation of functions

            9. Section 82: Public interest immunity

            10. Section 83: Review

            11. Section 84: Application to armed forces

            12. Section 85: Interpretation of this Chapter

         2. Chapter 2: Anonymity of witnesses

            1. Section 86: Witness anonymity orders

            2. Section 87: Applications

            3. Section 88: Conditions for making order

            4. Section 89: Relevant considerations

            5. Section 90: Warning to jury

            6. Section 91: Discharge or variation of order

            7. Section 92: Discharge or variation after proceedings

            8. Section 93: Discharge or variation by appeal court

            9. Section 94: Special provisions for service courts

            10. Section 95:  Public interest immunity

            11. Section 96: Power to make orders under the 2008 Act

            12. Section 97: Interpretation of this Chapter

         3. Chapter 3: Vulnerable and intimidated witnesses

            1. Section 98: Eligibility for special measures: age of child witnesses

            2. Section 99: Eligibility for special measures: offences involving weapons

            3. Section 100: Special measures directions for child witnesses

            4. Section 101: Special provisions relating to sexual offences

            5. Section 102: Evidence by live link: presence of supporter

            6. Section 103: Video recorded evidence in chief: supplementary testimony

            7. Section 104: Examination of accused through intermediary

            8. Section 105:  Age of child complainant

         4. Chapter 4:  Live links

            1. Section 106:  Directions to attend through live link

            2. Section 107:  Answering to live link bail

            3. Section 108:  Searches of persons answering to live link bail

            4. Section 109:  Use of live link in certain enforcement hearings

            5. Section 110:  Direction of registrar for appeal hearing by live link

         5. Chapter 5:  Miscellaneous

            1. Section 111:  Effect of admission of video recording

            2. Section 112:  Admissibility of evidence of previous complaints

            3. Section 113:  Powers in respect of offenders who assist investigations and prosecutions

            4. Section 114:  Bail: assessment of risk of committing an offence causing injury

            5. Section 115:  Bail decisions in murder cases to be made by a Crown Court judge

            6. Section 116:  Indictment of offenders

            7. Section 117: Detention of persons under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000

      4. Part 4 - Sentencing

         1. Chapter 1: Sentencing Council for England and Wales

            1. Section 118 and Schedule 15:  Sentencing Council for England and Wales

            2. Section 119:  Annual Report

            3. Section 120:  Sentencing guidelines

            4. Section 121: Sentencing ranges

            5. Section 122:  Allocation guidelines

            6. Section 123: Preparation or revision of guidelines in urgent cases

            7. Section 124:  Proposals by Lord Chancellor or Court of Appeal

            8. Section 125:  Sentencing Guidelines: duty of court

            9. Section 126: Determination of tariffs etc

            10. Section 127: Resource implications of guidelines

            11. Section 128: Monitoring

            12. Section 129:  Promoting awareness

            13. Section 130:  Resources: effect of sentencing practice

            14. Section 131:  Resources: effect of factors not related to sentencing

            15. Section  132: Duty to assess impact of policy and legislative proposals

            16. Section 133: Assistance by Lord Chancellor

            17. Section 134: Entrenchment of Lord Chancellor’s functions

            18. Section 135: Abolition of existing sentencing bodies

            19. Section 136: Interpretation of this Chapter

         2. Chapter 2:  Other provisions relating to sentencing

            1. Section 137 and Schedule 16:  Extension of driving disqualification

            2. Section 138:  Dangerous offenders: terrorism offences (England and Wales)

            3. Section 139:  Dangerous offenders: terrorism offences (Northern Ireland)

            4. Section 140: Appeals against certain confiscation orders (England and Wales)

            5. Section 141: Appeals against certain confiscation orders (Northern Ireland)

      5. Part 5 - Miscellaneous criminal justice provisions

         1. Section 142:  Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses

         2. Section 143:  Implementation of E-Commerce and Services directives: penalties

         3. Section 144 and Schedule 17:  Treatment of convictions in other member States etc

            1. Admission of evidence as to bad character of a defendant

            2. Bail

            3. Decision as to allocation

            4. Seriousness

            5. Required custodial sentences for certain offences

               1. Restriction on imposing custodial sentence or service detention

            6. Young offenders: referral conditions

            7. Proving of foreign convictions before courts

         4. Section 145:  Transfer to Parole Board of functions under the Criminal Justice Act 1991

         5. Section 146:  Retention of knives surrendered or seized: England and Wales

         6. Section 147:  Retention of knives surrendered or seized: Northern Ireland

         7. Section 148:  Security in tribunal buildings

      6. Part 6 - Legal aid and other payments for legal services

         1. Section 149:  Community Legal Service: pilot schemes

         2. Section 150:  Excluded services: help in connection with business matters

         3. Section 151:  Criminal Defence Service: information requests

         4. Section 152 and Schedule 18: Criminal Defence Service: enforcement of order to pay cost of representation

         5. Section 153:  Statutory instruments relating to the Legal Services Commission

         6. Section 154:  Damages-based agreements relating to employment matters

      7. Part 7 - Criminal Memoirs etc

         1. Section 155: Exploitation proceeds orders

         2. Section 156:  Qualifying offenders

         3. Section 157: Qualifying offenders: service offences

         4. Section 158:  Qualifying offenders: supplementary

         5. Section 159:  Relevant offences

         6. Section 160: Deriving a benefit

         7. Section 161:  Applications

         8. Section 162: Determination of applications

         9. Section 163:  Limits on recoverable amount

         10. Section 164:  The available amount

         11. Section 165:  Property

         12. Section 166: Effect of conviction being quashed

         13. Section 167:  Powers of court on repeat applications

         14. Section 168:  Additional proceeds reporting orders

         15. Section 169 and Schedule 19:  Exploitation proceeds investigations

         16. Section 170: Functions of Serious Organised Crime Agency

         17. Section 171:  Limitation

         18. Section 172: Interpretation of Part 7

      8. Part 8 - Data Protection Act 1998

         1. Section 173: Assessment notices

         2. Section 174:  Data-sharing code of practice

         3. Section 175 and Schedule 20: Further amendments of the Data Protection Act 1998

            1. Data Controllers’ Registration

            2. Assessment notices

            3. Power to require information

               1. Restriction on the use of information

               2. Monetary penalties: restriction on matters to be taken into account

               3. Warrant for entry and inspection

      9. Part 9 - General

         1. Section 176:  Orders, regulations and rules

         2. Section 177 and Schedules 21 and 22:  Consequential etc. amendments and transitional and saving provisions

         3. Schedule 21:  Minor and consequential amendments

            1. Part 1 - Coroners

            2. Part 2 – Murder and Suicide

            3. Part 9 - Disqualification for Driving

            4. Part 10 - Miscellaneous

         4. Schedule 22: Transitory, transitional and saving provisions

         5. Section 178 and Schedule 23:  Repeals

         6. Section 180:  Effect of amendments to provisions applied for the purposes of service law.

         7. Section 181: Extent

         8. Section 182:  Commencement

6. Commencement

7. Hansard References

8. ANNEX A GLOSSARY