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Accessing coronial documents

Magistrates Court - Coroners Court

Access for members of the public

Documents created during the coronial investigation may include:

police reports
witness statements
photographs
expert reports
the autopsy report
a toxicology certificate (this certificate contains the results of an toxicology tests performed)
the coroner’s findings.

The Coroners Act 2003 imposes strict limitations on the release of coronial documents because these documents contain highly sensitive and very personal information. The coroner must consent to the release of the information and it can only be released if the coroner is satisfied that the person seeking the documents has an appropriate interest in the information (for example an immediate family member.

Applications for access to coronial documents must be in writing and must include the following information:

your name, address and contact number
the deceased’s name and the date and location of their death
your relationship to the deceased
a list of the documents you are seeking. If you are unsure which documents you require please give examples of the type of information you are seeking
your reason/s for wanting copies of the documents.

If the coronial investigation is still in progress your letter should be addressed to the investigating coroner. Please contact the Office of the State Coroner if you are unsure who the investigating coroner is.

If the coronial investigation has been finalised your letter should be addressed to the Office of the State Coroner.

Please note that fees may apply for copies of documents.

When coronial files are over 30 years old

Closed coronial files are transferred into the custody of the Queensland State Archives once they are more than 30 years old. If you require access to documents for a coronial file that is more than 30 years old you should contact the Queensland State Archives for assistance.

Access for researchers

Australia has a national internet based data storage and retrieval system for coronial cases called the National Coroners Information System (NCIS). Information about deaths reported to Queensland coroners since 2001 is stored in NCIS.

The NCIS is a valuable research tool. Approved research and government agencies can use the NCIS to obtain information. For more information about the NCIS visit the NCIS website.

If the information provided by NCIS is insufficient for your research, or you are unable to access information via NCIS, then you can apply directly to the state coroner under the Coroners Act 2003 to access coronial documents for research purposes. There are restrictions on the release of coronial documents because of the sensitive and private nature of the information.

The state coroner must consent to the release of documents for research purposes. The state coroner can only consent if satisfied that the person seeking the documents is a ‘genuine researcher’ and the documents are reasonably necessary for the research.

To apply to be a genuine researcher you should contact the Office of the State Coroner to obtain an application form. The application form requires you to provide sufficient information to enable the state coroner to make a determination about whether or not you are a “genuine researcher” and whether the coronial documents are necessary for the research project. You will be asked to provide information about:

your professional/educational qualifications
the research project
any ethics approval for the research project
the background and aims of your organisation.

Last updated Tuesday, October 27, 2009 15:03