An official inquiry conducted by a CORONER into the cause of an individual's death. The coroner is a judicial officer who, when a death is sudden, unexpected or occurs in suspicious circumstances, considers the results of medical and legal investigation and, sitting with a jury or on his or her own, makes public the conclusions as to the cause of death. Coroners have wide powers, and, in deaths of uncertain cause, no death certificate can be issued without his or her approval. A coroner may be legally or medically qualified (or both). In Scotland the comparable officer is the procurator fiscal.