Court etiquette
When attending court, there are certain rules and etiquette that you must follow.
- When addressing the Coroner you must address them appropriately which is Sir for a male Coroner and Ma’am or Madam for a female.
- There is no formal dress code, however the court asks for attendees to dress smart casual and to not wear any clothing that may cause offence, or be disrespectful. Often, out of respect to the person who has died, people choose to wear clothing suitable for attending a funeral.
- You must stand whenever a coroner enters the courtroom and when they leave.
You must behave appropriately in court - if you do not you can be held in contempt of court, which includes:
- Disobeying or ignoring a court order
- Taking photos, video or audio recordings
- Shouting out in court
- Refusing to answer the court’s questions if you’re called as a witness
If you are found to be in contempt of court, you can be removed from the courtroom, fined or imprisoned. In some circumstances you may be prosecuted.