Coroners Act, 1962

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Summoning of witnesses.

26.—(1) A coroner may, at any time before the conclusion of an inquest held by him, cause a summons in the prescribed form to attend and give evidence at the inquest to be served on any person (including in particular any registered medical practitioner) whose evidence would, in the opinion of the coroner, be of assistance at the inquest.

(2) A coroner shall not exercise, in relation to the attendance at an inquest of a second registered medical practitioner, the power conferred on him by subsection (1) of this section unless—

(a) a majority of the jurors at the inquest, it having appeared to them that the cause of death has not been satisfactorily explained by the medical practitioner giving evidence thereof at the inquest, have by a requisition in writing called upon the coroner to cause a summons under that subsection to be served on another registered medical practitioner, or

(b) that practitioner had assisted at a post-mortem examination upon the person in relation to whose death the inquest is being held.