Matthew Hall

Requiem for the ‘people’s judge’

Matthew Hall deplores a new law that undermines the age-old authority of the coroner and lets the government hold secret inquests into suspect deaths

issue 05 December 2009

Jack Straw has finally got his wish: despite valiant efforts in the Lords, his Coroners and Justice Act has castrated one of our most ancient and overlooked institutions. Why? Because the ‘people’s judge’ was just too good at winkling out inconvenient truths.

The office of coroner has existed in this kingdom since the year 1194.

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