A variety of measures are available to assist in the treatment of vulnerable witnesses and parties in the coronial jurisdiction, Tim Suter, partner, Fieldfisher, and Sophie Cartwright KC, Deans Court Chambers, write in this week’s NLJ. Suter and Cartwright suggest the coronial jurisdiction consider best practice from the civil, family and criminal jurisdiction
They explain how the court process risks traumatising vulnerable witnesses who are asked to give evidence. They cover guidance from The Advocates Gateway, provide a vulnerable witness checklist and offer general advice on the treatment of vulnerable witnesses.
Suter and Cartwright write: ‘In the absence of explicit guidance, learnings from the civil, family and criminal jurisdiction about achieving the best evidence from a vulnerable witness is sometimes overlooked in the coroner’s courts.’
