Montana Code 46-4-201. Inquest — definition — when held — how conducted
46-4-201. Inquest — definition — when held — how conducted. (1) An inquest is a formal inquiry into the causes of and circumstances surrounding the death of a person and is conducted by the coroner before a coroner’s jury.
Terms Used In Montana Code 46-4-201
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Offense: means a violation of any penal statute of this state or any ordinance of its political subdivisions. See Montana Code 46-1-202
- Peace officer: means any person who by virtue of the person's office or public employment is vested by law with a duty to maintain public order and make arrests for offenses while acting within the scope of the person's authority. See Montana Code 46-1-202
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Witness: means a person whose testimony is desired in a proceeding or investigation by a grand jury or in a criminal action, prosecution, or proceeding. See Montana Code 46-1-202
(2)The coroner may hold an inquest only if requested to do so by the county attorney of the county in which death occurred or by the county attorney of the county in which the acts or events causing death occurred. However, the county attorney shall order the coroner to hold an inquest if the death of a person occurs:
(a)in a prison, jail, or other correctional facility and is not caused by the terminal condition, as defined in 50-9-102, of, or the execution of a death penalty upon, the person while the person is incarcerated in the prison, jail, or other correctional facility because of conviction of a criminal offense. This subsection (2)(a) applies to a death caused by a terminal condition only if the person was under medical care at the time of death.
(b)while a person is being taken into custody or is in the custody of a peace officer or if the death is caused by a peace officer, except when criminal charges have been or will be filed.
(3)If an inquest is held, the proceedings are public. The coroner shall conduct the inquest with the aid and assistance of the county attorney. The coroner shall, and the county attorney may, examine each witness, after which the witness may be examined by the jurors. The inquest must be held in accordance with this part.
(4)(a) A coroner who also serves as a peace officer may not conduct an inquest into the death of a person who:
(i)died in a jail operated by or under the jurisdiction of the peace officer;
(ii)died while in the custody of a peace officer serving in the same jurisdiction; or
(iii)was killed by a peace officer serving in the same jurisdiction.
(b)If a coroner is disqualified under subsection (4)(a), the county attorney shall request a qualified coroner or peace officer coroner of another jurisdiction to conduct the inquest. The expenses of a coroner fulfilling the request, including salary, must be paid by the requesting county.