Citation Numbers: 67 Op. Att'y Gen. 250
Judges: BRONSON C. La FOLLETTE, Attorney General
Filed Date: 10/17/1978
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 7/6/2016
ED HINSHAW, Media Coordinator 4th Judicial District WTMJ AM-TV,WKTI TELTRON
You ask my opinion on two questions. First, does the open meeting law, subch. IV, ch. 19, Stats., apply to coroner's inquests? Second, if a coroner's inquest is an open meeting, may the broadcast media cover the inquest using camera and recording equipment?
The coroner is a county officer provided for in Wis. Const. art.
Moreover, a coroner's inquest is not covered by the Wisconsin Supreme Court's recent authorization of television and radio overage in judicial proceedings. Although an inquest is a quasi-judicial proceeding, Mohrhusen v. McCann,
It follows that a coroner's inquest is not required to be open under current law and that there is no duty on the part of a coroner to permit radio and television news coverage by electronic or other means. The decision whether to close an inquest rests in the sound discretion of the coroner.
BCL:CDH *Page 251