Hong Kong Regulations

CORONERS (FORMS) RULES - SCHEDULE SCHEDULE

(Past version on 04/05/1998).

[rule 2]

FORM 1 [section 6(4)]

AUTOPSY REPORT

THIS REPORT IS CONFIDENTIAL. IT SHOULD NOT BE DISCLOSED TO A THIRD PARTY
(EXCEPT THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE) WITHOUT THE CORONER'S CONSENT

Name of deceased
...........................................................................
.................................... Sex of deceased
...........................................................................
....................................... Stated age of deceased (or date of
birth)
...........................................................................
.... Stated race and nationality
...........................................................................
......................... Identifier(s)
...........................................................................
............................................... Date and time of autopsy
...........................................................................
........................... Place where autopsy performed
...........................................................................
................. Estimated time of death
...........................................................................
.............................

EXTERNAL EXAMINATION

Height
...........................................................................
...................................................... Build/nourishment
...........................................................................
..................................... Marks of violence and/or identification
...........................................................................
.......

INTERNAL EXAMINATION

Cranial cavity Skull
...........................................................................
.................................................. Brain, meninges, etc.
...........................................................................
..........................

Thoracic cavity Mouth, tongue, oesophagus, larynx, trachea, lungs and pleurae
...........................................................................
............................ Pericardium, heart and blood vessels
...........................................................................
...

Abdominal cavity Stomach and contents
...........................................................................
......................... Peritoneum and intestines
...........................................................................
................... Liver and gall bladder
...........................................................................
......................... Spleen
...........................................................................
............................................... Urinary system
...........................................................................
.................................. Generative organs
...........................................................................
..............................

Are all other organs healthy?
...........................................................................
.....................

The cause of death as shown by the autopsy appears to be- I (a)
............................................... (Direct cause, due to)

   (b)  ............................................... (Intervening
        antecedent causes, due to)

   (c)  ............................................... (Underlying antecedent
        cause) II ............................................... (Other
        significant conditions contributing to the death but not related to
        the disease or condition causing it) Name and qualifications
        ...........................................................................
        ............................ Appointment and institution
        ...........................................................................
        ........................

....................................................... (Signature)

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FORM 2 [section 10(1)]

SEARCH WARRANT

To each and all of the police officers of Hong Kong.

Having been satisfied by information upon oath (or declaration) that there are
reasonable grounds for believing that a thing which may be relevant to the
cause of or the circumstances connected with the death of
...........................................................................
................... is likely to be found in or on
...........................................................................
....................... :

YOU ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED, with such assistants as may be necessary, at any
reasonable time to enter the said
...........................................................................
..................................
...........................................................................
................................................................., by force if
necessary, and search the said
...........................................................................
...
...........................................................................
................................................................. for any such
thing.

Dated this ............... day of ........................ 19 ........

........................................................ Coroner

____________

FORM 3 [section 12(1)]

SUMMONS TO WITNESS

To

It having been made to appear to me on credible information that you are
capable of giving material evidence at the inquest relevant to the cause of or
the circumstances connected with the death of
...........................................................................
.............................................. :

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to be and appear before me at
.......................................
...........................................................................
............................................................... . in Hong Kong
on ...............day, the ................. day of ...................... 19
............, at ........... a.m.*/p.m.*, to testify what you know relevant to
the cause of or the circumstances connected with the death of the said
...........................................................................
............................ Dated this ............... day of
.................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroners

* Delete whichever is inapplicable.

____________

FORM 4 [section 12(2)]

WARRANT WHERE WITNESS HAS NOT OBEYED SUMMONS

To each and all of the police officers of Hong Kong.

It having been made to appear to me that
..................................................................
............................................................ of
......................................................................
...........................................................................
............................................................ ...... was
capable of giving material evidence at the inquest relevant to the cause of or
the circumstances connected with the death of
..........................................................., a summons was
issued by me to the said
.....................................................................,
requiring him to be and appear before me at
...........................................................................
............................ in Hong Kong on ................... day, the
.................. day of ....................................... 19 ........,
at ........... a.m.*/p.m.*, to testify what he knows relevant to the cause of
or the circumstances connected with the death of the said
...........................................................................
........... ; and proof having this day been made before me upon oath (or
declaration) of such summons having been served on the said
...........................................................................
......... [and of a reasonable sum having been tendered to him for his costs
or expenses to so appear]**; and the said
...........................................................................
......................... having failed to appear at the place and time
appointed by the said summons, and no reasonable excuse having been offered
for such failure:

YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to take the said
........................................................ and to bring and have
him at
...........................................................................
............................ in Hong Kong on ................ day, the
................ day of ..........................................19
............, at .............. a.m.*/p.m.*, to testify what he knows relevant
to the cause of or the circumstances connected with the death of the said
.................................................................

Dated this ............... day of .................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroner

* Delete whichever is inapplicable.

** Delete if inapplicable by virtue of section 12(2)(c) of the Coroners 
Ordinance ( Cap 504).

___________

FORM 5 [section 12(3)]

WARRANT FOR WITNESS IN THE FIRST INSTANCE

To each and all of the police officers of Hong Kong.

It having been made to appear to me on credible information that
...............................
....................................................... of
...........................................................................
...........................................................................
............................................................ . is capable of
giving material evidence at the inquest relevant to the cause of or the
circumstances connected with the death of
...........................................................................
....................... and being satisfied by evidence upon oath (or
declaration) that it is probable that the said
............................................................. will not attend
the said inquest to give evidence without being compelled to do so:

YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to take the said
................................................ and to bring and have him at
...........................................................................
................................. in Hong Kong on ................ day, the
................ day of .........................................19
............, at .............. a.m.*/p.m.*, to testify what he knows relevant
to the cause of or the circumstances connected with the death of the said
...........................................................................
.....

Dated this ............... day of .................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroner

* Delete whichever is inapplicable.

-----------------

FORM 6 [section 12(4)]

WARRANT FOR COMMITMENT OF WITNESS REFUSING TO BE SWORN OR TO GIVE EVIDENCE

To each and all of the police officers of Hong Kong and to the Commissioner of
Correctional Services.

It having been made to appear to me that
........................................................................ of
...........................................................................
.......................................................... is capable of
giving material evidence at the inquest relevant to the cause of or the
circumstances connected with the death of
...........................................................................
......................., and the said
...........................................................................
........................ now appearing before me at
...........................................................................
............................................. in Hong Kong on ..............
day, the .............. day of ..............................................
19 ........., and being required by me to take oath (or declaration) as a
witness in that behalf now refuses so to do (or being sworn or declared as a
witness in the matter of the said inquest) refuses to answer certain
questions, without offering any reasonable excuse for such his refusal:

YOU, THE SAID POLICE OFFICERS, ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to take the said
...........................................................................
...................... and to safely convey him to a prison, and there to
deliver him to the Commissioner of Correctional Services, together with this
warrant:

YOU, THE SAID COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to
receive the said
....................................................................... into
your custody in a prison, and there imprison him for such his contempt for the
space of ....... days, unless he shall in the meantime consent to be examined
and to answer concerning the premises; and for your so doing this shall be
sufficient warrant.

Dated this ............... day of .................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroner

___________

FORM 7 [section 22(1)]

SUMMONS TO JUROR

To

You are hereby summoned to attend at
....................................................................
...........................................................................
............................................................ ...... in Hong
Kong on ................ day, the ............... day of
........................................... 19 .......... at
................... a.m.*/p.m.*, and there to appear as a juror at an inquest
to be held by a coroner concerning the death of
...........................................................................
.............................., and there to attend until you shall be
discharged.

Dated this ............... day of .................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroner's Clerk

* Delete whichever is inapplicable. Note: The penalty for failing to comply
with this summons is a fine at level 2. Personal service of this summons is
not necessary to subject the juror summoned to this penalty.

___________

FORM 8 [section 24]

OATH FOR JUROR

I, ...........................................................................
.........., swear that I will diligently (Name in full) inquire and true
presentment make of all such matters and things as shall be here given me in
charge, on behalf of the people of Hong Kong, touching the death of
....................................... and that I will give true findings
according to the evidence. So help me God.

-----------------

FORM 9 [section 24]

DECLARATION FOR JUROR

I, ...........................................................................
......................., do solemnly and (Name in full) sincerely declare that
I will diligently inquire and true presentment make of all such matters and
things as shall be here given me in charge, on behalf of the people of Hong
Kong, touching the death of
.................................................................. and that I
will give true findings according to the evidence.

----------------

FORM 10 [section 28(2)]

NOTICE TO PROPERLY INTERESTED PERSONS INFORMING THEM OF THEIR RIGHT UNDER
SECTION 14(3) OF THE ORDINANCE

To ...........................................................................
...................................., a properly interested person in the
death of ........................................................... :

You are hereby advised that you or another person on your behalf may make
representations (either in writing* or orally**) to the coroner as to whether
the inquest to be held into the death of the above-named person should be held
with a jury.

Those representations, if any, should be made not later than 14 days after the
date of issue of this notice.

Issued this .............. day of ..................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroner

* Any written representations must be received at the Coroner's Office not
later than 14 days after the date of issue of this notice.

** For any oral representations, the coroner's clerk should be contacted as
soon as practicable to arrange an appointment with the coroner.

----------------

FORM 11 [section 41]

CERTIFICATE OF THE FACT OF DEATH

To whom it may concern.
...........................................................................
..... (Name) of ..................................
...........................................................................
... (Address) died on ............................. The precise medical cause
of death was as follows*/has yet to be established*
...........................................................................
............................................................ I am satisfied as
to the evidence provided by a registered medical practitioner who has
personally viewed the body of the person in respect of whose death this
certificate is issued and who is satisfied that that death has occurred-

   (a)  of the identification of, and place and date of death of, that person;
        and

   (b)  that an infectious disease** was not the cause of that death.

Dated this ............... day of .................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroner

* Delete whichever is inapplicable.

** An infectious disease is any disease which may render the dead body of a
person a danger to public health.

-----------------

FORM 12 [section 43]

FINDINGS AT INQUEST

An inquest held at
...........................................................................
.............................. in Hong Kong on the ..................... day
of .............................................. 19 .................., [and
by adjournment on the ..................... day of
................................................... 19 .................,]
[before and by * ................................] me
........................................................................... ,
a coroner, [and the undermentioned jurors,] into the death of
.................................................... [a person
unknown][concerning a stillbirth]. The following matters are found- 1. Name of
deceased (if known): 2. Injury or disease causing death:** 3. Time, place and
circumstances at or in which injury was sustained:*** 4. Conclusion of the
jury/coroner as to the death: + 5. Particulars for the time being required by
the Births and Deaths  Registration Ordinance ( Cap 174) to be registered
concerning the death:

(1) Date and place of death (2)
Name and surname of deceased (3)

Sex (4)
Maiden surname of woman who has married (5)
Date and
place of
birth (6)
Occupation and usual address

Signature of coroner [and
jurors]....................................................................
.............

NOTES

* 1. Modify this as necessary according to whether the inquest is held with or
without a jury or partly with and partly without a jury.

** 2. In the case of a death from natural causes or from an occupational
disease, want of attention at birth, or dependence on, or non-dependent abuse
of, drugs, insert the immediate cause of death and the morbid conditions, if
any, giving rise to the immediate cause of death.

*** 3. Omit this if the cause of death is one to which Note 2 applies. + 4.
(a) Where the cause of death is one to which Note 2 applies, it is suggested
that one of the following forms be adopted- The deceased died from natural
causes. The deceased died from the occupational disease of
...................................... The deceased died from dependence on
drugs/non-dependent abuse of drugs. The deceased died from want of attention
at birth. (In any of the above cases, it is suggested that the following words
may, where appropriate, be added- "to which neglect contributed").

   (b)  In any other case, except murder, manslaughter, infanticide, dangerous
        driving or stillbirth, it is suggested that one of the following forms
        be adopted- (33 of 2000 s. 5) The deceased killed himself [whilst the
        balance of his mind was disturbed]. The deceased died as a result of
        an attempted/self-induced abortion. The deceased died as a result of
        an accident/misadventure. The deceased was killed lawfully. Open
        verdict, namely, the evidence did not fully or further disclose the
        means whereby the cause of death arose.

   (c)  In the case of murder, manslaughter, infanticide or dangerous driving,
        it is suggested that the following form be adopted- (33 of 2000 s. 5)
        The deceased was killed unlawfully.

   (d)  In the case of a stillbirth, insert "stillbirth" and do not complete
        the remainder of the form.

----------------

FORM 13 [section 45]

CERTIFICATE OF CORONER

I hereby certify that on the .................. day of
....................................... 19 .........., I held, under the
provisions of the Coroners Ordinance ( Cap 504), an inquest into the cause of
and the circumstances connected with a death in
...........................................................................
...... ............................................................. and that
the following particulars were then disclosed- 1. Name of deceased. 2.
Residence and occupation. 3. Where found, and when, and in what circumstances.
4. Date of death. 5. Cause of death.

*6. The names of the persons last seen in the company of the deceased.

*7. Any suspicious circumstances which point to any person or persons as
having caused the death.

Note: The following are the names, residences and callings of the witnesses
examined-

Dated this ............... day of .................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroner

* To be filled up in case the death is supposed to have been caused by
improper means.

------------------

FORM 14 [section 47]

WARRANT FOR COMMITMENT OF PERSON WHO HAS COMMITTED A CONTEMPT AT OR IN
RELATION TO INQUEST

To each and all of the police officers of Hong Kong and to the Commissioner of
Correctional Services. Whereas
..................................................................... of
......................................
...........................................................................
............................................................ .......... has,
at or in relation to an inquest held by me at
......................................................
.......................................................... in Hong Kong on the
....................... day of ............... 19 ..........., committed the
following act ...........................................................
...........................................................................
.........................................................., and such act being
an act by virtue of which I have power under section 47 of the
Coroners Ordinance ( Cap 504) to commit the said
........................................... to prison for a specified period
not exceeding 2 months [and having the consent of the Secretary for Justice to
exercise such power]*:

YOU, THE SAID POLICE OFFICERS, ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to take the said
...........................................................................
..................................................... and to safely convey him
to a prison, and there to deliver him to the Commissioner of Correctional
Services, together with this warrant:

YOU, THE SAID COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to
receive the said
....................................................................... into
your custody in a prison, and there imprison him for such his act for the
space of ................ days; and for your so doing this shall be sufficient
warrant.

Dated this ............... day of .................... 19 ..........

........................................................ Coroner

* Delete if section 47(3) of the Coroners Ordinance ( Cap 504) is not
applicable. (L.N. 362 of 1997)

-----------------

FORM 15 [rule 17]

REGISTER OF DEATHS REPORTED TO THE CORONER

Date on which death is reported Burial/
cremation order number
Name of deceased
Sex and age of deceased
Cause of death External
cause
(if
applicable) Findings
at
inquest
(if any)