webinar

Forensic Pathology and Coroners Death Investigations

Another very good and informative session. I will find this information very useful.

Fatima

Government Investigator

Course overview

Forensic Pathology and Coroners Death Investigations

Approximately 15% of all deaths in Australia are reported to the Coroner. These deaths undergo a legal death investigation by Coroners operating according to the relevant State and Territory based legislation.

Coroners, who are legal practitioners, are supported in their investigation by a range of specialist investigators including forensic pathologists, forensic scientists, police, workplace (OHS) investigators, and individuals from a range of regulatory agencies. This webinar will cover the operational processes involved in the medico-legal death investigation and the interaction between the medical investigator and the Coroner in Victoria.

There is considerable community misunderstanding regarding coroners’ death investigations as a result of the many forensic TV shows and films we are exposed to. The difference between the fact and the fiction will be covered as well as the way medico-legal death investigators interact with families during the investigation.

Finally, the nature of a coroner’s inquest hearing will be discussed focusing of the difference between an inquest and a criminal trial.

This session was originally presented during the MyKludo Virtual Investigations Conference held 6-8 December 2021.

Presenter

Professor David Ranson

Professor David Ranson is Deputy Director and Head of Forensic Services at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.

David graduated in Medicine from The University of Nottingham in 1980 and in Law from the University of the West of England in 1987. He worked for many years as a clinical forensic physician for Avon and Somerset Constabulary in the UK and later for Victoria Police.

In his current role David manages the delivery of forensic pathology, clinical forensic medicine, and related forensic science services to Victorian justice system, including the Coroners Court, Victoria Police and key justice agencies in Victoria. David is also the Medical Director of the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria which provides human tissue for transplantation in Victoria. David holds adjunct academic posts as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Forensic Medicine at Monash University and as a Professor in the La Trobe Law School.

David has worked overseas investigating deaths, providing Victim Identification services and supporting the repatriation of victims to their families in a number of military and civil disturbances and natural disasters including Kosovo, the Bali bombings, the humanitarian response to the Thailand Tsunami and the loss of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.