Series 2245

Salt Lake City (Utah). City Court Inquest registers

Dates: i 1909-1965.

2 microfilm reels

These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.

Scope and Content

It was the duty of the justice of the peace to act as coroner and hold inquests on the bodies of those supposed to have died of unlawful means within his precinct. According to legislation passed in 1896, a register of inquests was to be kept recording the date; the name of the deceased if known, if not, a description of the deceased; the description of any property found on the deceased and its disposition; and the cause of death if determined. These two volumes record inquests held by the city judge who was also the ex-officio justice of the peace for the city. In 1965, with the creation of a state medical examiner's position, the series ends.

In addition to the description and disposition of the body and property found with it, the first volume often records a brief procedural summary of the inquest, including the names of the jurors, the names (but not the testimony) of witnesses, a summary of any autopsy held, and an itemization of costs incurred in holding the inquest.Occasionally a pertinent newspaper clipping, suicide note, etc. was glued into the volume. The second volume rarely includes such detail. Entries are frequently limited to a docket noting dates of orders, subpoenas, and requests for postmortem examinations, along with the resultant expenses.

Access Restrictions

This series is designated as Public.

Reproduction and Use

These records are available for reproduction and use.

Finding Aids

Indexes: Both volumes have partial indices. Entries in the first are arranged chronologically. In the second, the entries are in alphabetical order by the first letter of the deceased's surname.

Related Records

Coroners' inquest case files from the District Court (Third District : Salt Lake County), Series 3851, contains inquest papers turned over to the district court for these cases.

Inquest registers from Salt Lake City (Utah). City Court, Series 4580, contains accounts of autopsies held on some of the individuals whose inquests are registered here.

Indexing Terms

Death--Proof and certification.

REEL	DESCRIPTION
1	1909 Apr 08 - 1929 Nov 18
2	1930 May 05 - 1965 Jun 24