R (Maguire) v Blackpool and Fylde Senior Coroner

Subject Matter

CORONER — Inquest — Verdict — Vulnerable incapacitous adult dying while resident in state-funded care home — Coroner finding state’s procedural duty to investigate deaths not applying and limiting jury’s consideration to how deceased came to die — Whether state’s operational duty to protect life owed to deceased — Whether state under procedural duty to investigate circumstances of death — Whether jury to be permitted to deliver expanded conclusion — Human Rights Act 1998 (c 42), s 2, Sch 1, Pt I, art 2 — Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c 25), s 5

[2020] EWCA Civ 738; [2021] QB 409; [2020] 3 WLR 1268; [2021] 2 All ER 93; (2020) 176 BMLR 50; [2020] Med LR 331; [2020] COPLR 654; [2020] WLR(D) 333, CA

CORONER — Inquest — Verdict — Vulnerable incapacitous adult dying in hospital while resident at state-funded care home — Coroner finding state’s enhanced procedural obligation to investigate deaths not applying and limiting jury’s consideration to how deceased came to die — Whether state’s substantive obligation to protect life owed to deceased — Whether state under enhanced procedural obligation to investigate circumstances of death — Whether jury to be permitted to deliver expanded conclusion — Human Rights Act 1998 (c 42), s 2, Sch 1, Pt I, art 2 — Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c 25), s 5

[2023] UKSC 20; [2025] AC 63; [2023] 3 WLR 103; [2023] 4 All ER 1, SC(E)

Appellate History

Commentary

UK Human Rights Blog
High Court considers Article 2 inquests in medical cases Case comment

Article 2 and the provision of healthcare — Part 3 Case comment

The Supreme Court provides authoritative guidance on the application of Article 2 to Coronial investigations and inquests Case comment

2 Hare Court
Case Note on the Supreme Court case of R (Maguire) v The Coroner for Blackpool & Fylde [2023] UKSC 20 Case comment

Inquests and Inquiries Law Blog
R (on the application of Maguire) v HM Senior Coroner for Blackpool & Fylde and another Case comment

QMLR
The Supreme Court provides authoritative guidance on the application of Article 2 to Coronial investigations and inquests Case comment

Doughty Street Chambers
Maguire, Detention, and Article 2 Inquests Case comment