Commentary on Sections Section 8: Presiding coroner
This section requires the Lord Chief Justice to appoint a Presiding coroner with responsibility for the coroners’ courts and the other coroners and deputy coroners. The person appointed as Presiding coroner will hold that office in accordance with the terms of his or her appointment. If the office of Presiding coroner becomes vacant, the Lord Chief Justice may appoint another coroner to act until a new appointment can be made. Any of the Lord Chief Justice’s functions relating to coroners’ courts, other than functions under section 36 of the Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959, may be delegated to the Presiding coroner. A number of existing powers of delegation are consequentially repealed.