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inquest, judicial inquiry by a group of persons appointed by a court. The most common type is the inquest set up to investigate a death apparently occasioned by unnatural means. Witnesses are examined, and a special jury returns a verdict on the cause of death. In England inquests are also required when there is loss or injury in a fire. The inquest is confined to common-law jurisdictions that have a coroner system.

Although the European civil-law system has a long tradition of the use of medical evidence and professional witnesses in court, it has no procedure similar to the inquest. See also coroner’s jury.