Dealing with the death of a loved one in prison can be an intensely difficult experience, especially if you’re unable to get clear information from the authorities about the circumstances of the death.
At Farleys, our inquest team understand the immense stress this can place you under, and we’re dedicated to doing everything we can to help you get the closure you deserve. We have a wealth of experience dealing with the Prison Service, and each of our inquest solicitors has a detailed knowledge of the official procedure following a death in custody.
Drawing on our decades of experience, our expert inquest solicitors can offer you advice, assistance and – if you wish – represent you throughout the inquest proceedings.
We can also handle communication with the relevant authorities on your behalf. We’ll always start by collecting as much information as we can about the circumstances of your loved one’s death – for this, we may contact the Prison Service, the prison itself, the Probation Ombudsman, the Coroner, or all of the above. All future contact with the authorities can then be dealt with directly through us, saving you from the stress that’s often involved in keeping track of multiple lines of communication.
We’ll take care to keep you updated throughout every stage of the investigation, and make sure that you understand all the steps that we take on your behalf, as well as offering advice and assistance wherever you need it. We focus on cutting out any unnecessary legal jargon, instead explaining everything to you in clear and simple terms. For example, we can offer a detailed explanation of prison documentation (which can be notoriously difficult to understand) as well as a similar breakdown of the post-mortem report and any medical evidence. If we think you may need any independent experts to assist during the inquest, you can count on us to let you know.
At the inquest itself, we strive to ensure that you receive the appropriate representation from an experienced barrister who will look after your interests during the hearing.
The inquest team at Farleys work closely with the campaigning and support group INQUEST, who provide support to bereaved families and strive to ensure that improvements are made to the inquest system.
