Coroners Court of Victoria guide

What the Coroners Court of Victoria does, how matters reach it, requests, forms, inquests and appeals, with links to official sources. Court Co-Pilot is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.

What it hears

The court investigates reportable deaths and certain fires. By law, certain deaths must be reported to the coroner, including unexpected, unnatural or violent deaths and deaths after accident or injury. At the end of an investigation the court reports on how the death occurred and seeks to identify how similar deaths may be prevented.

How to start

Unlike other courts, a party does not file a claim here. An investigation starts when a death is reported. The court says it contacts families within a few days of referral and gives regular updates to the senior next of kin.

A person can ask for an inquest using Form 26, or ask for a fire to be investigated using Form 16.

Filing

Many of the court's forms are available to complete online or to download as PDF or Word files from its Find a Form page.

Fees

The court pages checked for this guide do not set out a fee schedule. The Coroners Act 2008 and the court's contact page are the places to confirm whether any charge applies.

Hearings

An inquest is a public hearing into a death or fire. The court says inquests are held for fewer than five percent of investigations each year, and they can last from a few hours to weeks or months. Written findings are published when an inquest has been held, when recommendations are made or when a coroner orders publication.

Appeals

A person with sufficient interest or an interested party can appeal a coroner's findings to the Supreme Court within six months of the findings. If a coroner refuses to reopen an investigation, an appeal can be made to the Supreme Court within three months of the refusal. The court's reviews and appeals page describes these routes.

Official sources

• Information for families: What families can expect.
• Reportable deaths: Which deaths must be reported.
• Inquests: How inquests work.
• Inquests and findings: Published findings and hearings.
• Reviews and appeals: Reopening and appeal time limits.
• Form 26: Request for inquest into death: Online form.
• Find a form: All Coroners Court forms.
• Coroners Act 2008: The court's governing Act.

Sources, checked 2026-11-01.