FAQs

What is an inquest?: An inquest is a legal public inquiry (hearing) into the manner of death in which the Coroner and six jurors sit in a quasi-judicial fashion, and evidence is presented (medical, investigative and legal) to determine the manner and circumstances surrounding a death. Inquests assist the following: public health agencies, public and private organizations and law enforcement agencies in an attempt to detect foul play or hazardous conditions. Family members may attend and learn all the facts surrounding the death of a loved one. However, as of January 1, 2007, it is no longer mandatory by state law, for a Coroner to conduct formal inquests. The Lake County Coroner’s Office now conducts internal case conferences to determine the manner of death (i.e., homicide, suicide, accident, undetermined) in all cases of unnatural deaths. These conferences are no less thorough than a formal inquest and provide the family with a more timely conclusion and issuance of the permanent death certificate.

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Coroner's Office

1. What is the duty of the Coroner as mandated by Illinois State Statute?: Chapter 55; Section 5/3-3007: Each Coroner shall be the conservator of the peace of his county, and in the performance of his/her duties shall have the same powers as the Sheriff.

Section 5/3-3013: Where the office of the Sheriff is vacant, the Coroner of the county shall perform all the duties required by law to be performed by the Sheriff and have the same powers until another Sheriff is elected or appointed and qualified.

2. What is an inquest?: An inquest is a legal public inquiry (hearing) into the manner of death in which the Coroner and six jurors sit in a quasi-judicial fashion, and evidence is presented (medical, investigative and legal) to determine the manner and circumstances surrounding a death. Inquests assist the following: public health agencies, public and private organizations and law enforcement agencies in an attempt to detect foul play or hazardous conditions. Family members may attend and learn all the facts surrounding the death of a loved one. However, as of January 1, 2007, it is no longer mandatory by state law, for a Coroner to conduct formal inquests. The Lake County Coroner’s Office now conducts internal case conferences to determine the manner of death (i.e., homicide, suicide, accident, undetermined) in all cases of unnatural deaths. These conferences are no less thorough than a formal inquest and provide the family with a more timely conclusion and issuance of the permanent death certificate.

3. Who reports the death to the Coroner?: Section 5/3-3020: Every law enforcement official, funeral director, ambulance attendant, hospital director or administrator or person having custody of the body, and any physician in attendance upon such a decedent at the time of his/her death, shall notify the Coroner promptly. Any such person failing to do so shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

4. Who signs the death certificate?: Section 5/3-3018: Every Coroner, as soon as he/she shall have completed his/her investigation of the cause and circumstances to death coming within his/her jurisdiction, shall issue a death certificate.

5. What authority does the Coroner have in regard to investigation into the circumstances of the death?: Section 5/3-3013: In cases of apparent suicide, homicide or accidental death, the Coroner may summon a jury of six persons and conduct an inquest into the manner of death. All deaths in state institutions and all deaths of wards of the State in private care facilities shall be reported to the Coroner of the county in which the facility is located.

6. What authority does the Coroner have in regards to the dead body?: Section 5/3-3019: No dead body, or the personal property of such a deceased person, shall be handled, moved, disturbed, embalmed, or removed from the place of death by any person, except with the permission of the Coroner. Any person knowingly violating the provisions of this Section is guilty of Class A misdemeanor.

Section 5/3-3015: Where a death has occurred and the circumstances concerning the death are suspicious, obscure, mysterious, and the cause of death cannot be established definitely except by autopsy, it shall be the duty of the Coroner to cause an autopsy to be performed.

Section 5/3-3021: The Coroner shall release the body of the decedent to the next-of-kin or to the funeral director selected by such persons. Authorization of appropriate next-of-kin is required by the Lake County Coroner's Office.

7. What is an autopsy?: An autopsy is a surgical procedure (internal and external examination of the body) used to aid the Coroner in establishing a cause of death in those cases where the cause cannot be established with a reasonable degree of certainty without an autopsy or mandated by State Statute. An autopsy is performed by a licensed forensic pathologist who has been certified by the State of Illinois.

8. Does the family need to consent to an autopsy before the Coroner may authorize that one be performed?: No. The Coroner may order an autopsy to be performed in any case deemed necessary. In matters of death investigation, the Coroner has absolute and complete authority and unlimited powers to:
-Investigate
-Make chemical analysis of body tissues
-Subpoena
-Arrest

9. What is a Coroner's case?: The Coroner is responsible for investigating and determining cause of death. To learn more, please visit the Coroner's Case page.

10. What are the responsibilities of the Coroner?: Review the responsibilities of the Coroner on the Coroner's Responsibilities page.