Legal Definitions - open verdict

An open verdict is a finding made by a coroner's jury or a coroner during an inquest into a death. It signifies that while a death has occurred, the available evidence does not conclusively explain the exact circumstances or manner of death. In other words, the evidence presented is insufficient to determine precisely how the person died, leaving significant questions unanswered regarding the events leading to the death.

This type of verdict does not attribute blame or specify a particular cause like suicide, accident, or unlawful killing. Instead, it acknowledges the inconclusive nature of the evidence and leaves the door open for further investigation if new information comes to light.

• Example 1: The Missing Hiker's Remains

  A seasoned hiker disappears during a solo trip in a vast wilderness area. Years later, their skeletal remains are discovered in a remote ravine. Despite extensive forensic examination, the coroner cannot definitively determine whether the hiker died from a fall, exposure, a sudden medical event, or another cause, as the remains are too degraded and no other evidence is found. There are no signs of foul play.

  Explanation: The coroner would likely return an open verdict because while the death is confirmed, the specific sequence of events that led to it remains unknown and cannot be concluded from the available evidence.

• Example 2: Unexplained Death at Sea

  A fisherman is found deceased on his boat, which is adrift far from shore. An autopsy reveals no obvious injuries, signs of struggle, or pre-existing medical conditions that would explain a sudden death. The boat's equipment is in working order, and there's no indication of suicide or foul play.

  Explanation: In this scenario, an open verdict would be appropriate. The individual is clearly dead, but the medical and circumstantial evidence does not provide a conclusive explanation for how or why the death occurred, leaving the manner of death undetermined.

• Example 3: Infant Death in Ambiguous Circumstances

  An infant is found unresponsive in their crib and later pronounced dead. Medical examinations rule out obvious causes like congenital defects or accidental suffocation, and there are no signs of abuse. However, the exact physiological reason for the death cannot be identified, and the circumstances don't definitively point to a natural cause or an accidental one.

  Explanation: An open verdict might be given here because, despite thorough investigation, the specific cause and manner of the infant's death remain medically and circumstantially unclear, without sufficient evidence to conclude a specific category of death.