An inquest is an investigation into the cause and circumstances of a death. Laws vary from state to state and the circumstances under which an inquest may be required are usually specified in a state’s statutes.

For example, if a person dies in a county with a medical examiner, the medical examiner (or authorized deputy) may be required to conduct an inquest under the these and other circumstances:

• when a person dies within 24 hours after being admitted to a hospital or institution, or dies in prison or jail;

• when a person is killed, or dies from an unnatural cause of death (unless executed by the state for a crime), or dies without one or more good witnesses;

• when the body or a body part of a person is found, and the cause or circumstances of death are unknown;

• when the circumstances of the death of any person lead to suspicion the person died by unlawful means;

• when any person commits suicide, or the circumstances of the person's death lead to suspicion the person committed suicide;

• when a person dies without having been attended by a duly licensed and practicing physician, and the local health officer or registrar required to report the cause of death does not know the cause of death;

• when the person is a child and the death is required to be reported by law; and

• when a person dies who has been attended immediately preceding death by a duly licensed and practicing physician or physicians, and such physician or physicians are not certain as to the cause of death and are unable to certify with certainty the cause of death.

In Alabama, an inquest into the cause and circumstances of a death is typically conducted by a county coroner or medical examiner, depending on the jurisdiction. State statutes outline specific situations where an inquest is mandatory. These situations include deaths occurring within 24 hours of hospital admission, in prison or jail, from unnatural causes, without good witnesses, or under circumstances that suggest unlawful means or suicide. An inquest is also required when a body or body part is found and the cause of death is unknown, when a child's death must be reported by law, or when a physician attending the deceased prior to death cannot certify the cause of death with certainty. The purpose of the inquest is to determine the manner and cause of death, which may involve an autopsy and investigation. The findings can be used for official death records and may have legal implications, such as in cases of suspected homicide or wrongful death.