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 Pennsylvania, an inquest into the cause and circumstances of a death is typically conducted by a county coroner or medical examiner, depending on the jurisdiction. The Pennsylvania Coroner’s Law outlines the circumstances under which an inquest is necessary. These circumstances include deaths occurring under suspicious or unusual circumstances, deaths without a known cause, deaths occurring within 24 hours of admission to a hospital or institution, deaths in prison or jail, deaths resulting from violence or trauma, unattended deaths, and deaths where the deceased was not under care of a physician who can certify the cause of death. Additionally, any death of a child that is sudden and unexpected or where abuse is suspected must be reported and may require an inquest. The coroner or medical examiner has the authority to investigate these deaths, which may involve an autopsy, and to determine the cause and manner of death. The findings from such an inquest can be used for legal and public health purposes.