1822 - Edocs

fovernor appoints
coroner for e»«w
ountv.
duties.
Inquests
Sheriff Sc coroner
both disqualified.
Coroners duty on
report made of a
dead bouv.
t'enahy to consu
ble.
To jure:
88
AN ACT
Authorising- the appointment of Coroners.
1. Be it enacted by the Governor and Legislative Council
of the Territory of Florida, That it shall be the duty
of the Governor to commission in every county now established,
or that may hereafter be established in this
Territory, one proper person as coroner, whose duty it
shall be to serve all writs and process when the office of
the sheriff of the county shall be vacant, or when the sher-
iff shall be party to the suit, or when it can be proved to
the satisfaction of the court who grants such writs or process
that the sheriff is interested in the suit, related to
either party, or prejudiced against any party to the suit,
and shall return jurors for the trial of such causes. It
shall also be the duty of such coroners, to take inquests of
violent death, and casual deaths happening within their
respective counties; and shall before they enter upon the
duties of their respective offices, be severally sworn or affirmed
to the faithful discharge thereof, and give security
in the same manner as sheriffs now are or hereafter shall
be required by law to do.
2. Be it further enacted, That, in all cases where the
sheriff and coroner shall both be disqualified on account
of interest or prejudice, the court may direct the process
in such cases to one, or two proper persons of the county
to execute the duties, and receive the legal fees of such
sheriff tor like services.
3. Be it further enacted. That, every coroner, as soon
as he shall be notified of the dead body of any person
supposed to have come to his, or her death by violence,
or casualty found or lying within his county, shall make
his warrant, directed to any constable of the county, where
the dead body is found or lying, requiring him forthwith
to summon a jury of good and lawful men of the same
county, not less than eighteen in all, so that at least twelve
be present to appear before such coroner, at the time and
place in his warrant expressed, and to enquire, upon a
view of the body of the person there lying dead, how, and
in what manner, and by whom he or she came by his or
her death; and every such constable to *vhom such warrant
shall be directed or delivered, shall forthwith execute
the same, and shall repair to the place where the
dead body is, at the time mentioned, and make return of
the warrant with his proceedings thereon unto the coroner
who granted the same. Every constable failing of
executing such warrant or of returning the same as aforesaid,
shall forfeit and pay the sum of eight dollars, and
every person summoned as a juror as aforesaid that shall
fail to appear, or make a reasonable excuse to the corouer,
for his non attendance within five days after the time