Inquests, reporting on suicide, copyright law

What law governs copyright in the UK?

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Is copyright a civil or criminal law?

Primarily civil law dealt with in the civil courts

Who owns copyright in a work?

The creator who used skill, labour or judgement to create it

What can a copyright owner do if their work is stolen or copied?

Sue for damages in a civil action

What types of work are protected by copyright?

Text, books, articles, poems, lyrics, plays, scripts, speeches, interviews, music manuscripts, photographs, designs, websites, templates, forms, graphic works, maps, plans, paintings, sculptures, databases and computer programs

Who owns copyright in employment-created work?

The employer

Who owns copyright in freelance work?

The creator

Can copyright be licensed?

Yes, the owner can license others to copy the work

Can copyright be assigned?

Yes, it can be sold permanently to a new owner

What penalties are available for copyright infringement?

Injunctions, damages, account of profits, and seizure of infringing copies

When is copyright breached?

When all or a substantial part of a work is copied without permission

What counts as a 'substantial part' of a text?

Even a sentence or headline if it is highly original

Can copyright infringement ever be a criminal offence?

Yes, in rare cases like systematic piracy

Which case involved unauthorized use of a photograph of Kesha?

Sheldon v Daybrook House

Are news events themselves protected by copyright?

No

What aspects of news reporting can be copyrighted?

Quotes, headlines, layouts, and written expression

Is copying an entire interview without attribution allowed?

No, it is a breach of copyright

Who owns copyright in photos or videos found online?

The person who took them

What is the defence of fair dealing?

A defence allowing limited use of copyrighted material without permission

When does fair dealing apply for journalists?

For reporting news and current events

What must accompany fair dealing use?

Sufficient acknowledgement of the author and work

How much material can be used under fair dealing?

Only what is necessary to report the story

Can photos be used under fair dealing?

No, photographs are excluded

Can fair dealing also apply to criticism or review?

Yes

Can copyright ever be overridden by public interest?

Very rarely

Who decides public interest copyright cases?

The courts, case by case

What factors will courts consider in public interest cases?

Whether verbatim use was necessary

When might public interest succeed?

If it exposes immorality, danger to public health or justice

Why was the Duchess of Sussex v Mail on Sunday a copyright breach?

Because Meghan Markle's letters were published without permission

Who owns copyright in photographs taken before 31 July 1989?

The commissioner

Who owns copyright in photographs taken after 31 July 1989?

The photographer

What moral right does a commissioner have after July 31 1989?

The right to sue if private or domestic photos are used without consent

What is an inquest?

An inquiry into a sudden or unexplained death

Where are inquests held?

In a coroner's court

What is the purpose of an inquest?

To establish who died and where, when and how

Is blame assigned in an inquest?

No

What other role do coroners have?

Deciding whether objects are legally classed as treasure

When must a coroner investigate a death?

If the cause is unknown, violent, unnatural, or occurred in custody

What deaths count as violent or unnatural?

Crime, accidents, suicide, neglect, alcohol, drugs, poisoning

Why are inquests important?

To investigate suspicious deaths and prevent future deaths

Who decides whether an inquest is needed?

Doctors or police, though families can request one

Who conducts a post-mortem?

A pathologist

What does a coroner record at the end of an inquest?

A determination (formerly verdict)

What forms can a determination take?

Short form or narrative

When are juries used in inquests?

In certain circumstances to safeguard civil liberties

Why were juries used in Hillsborough inquests?

Public scrutiny and public interest

When is a jury required at an inquest?

If the death occurred in custody, involved police actions, or was a notifiable workplace death

How many jurors sit on an inquest jury?

Between 7 and 11

Can a coroner choose to use a jury anyway?

Yes, if there is sufficient reason

What judicial powers do coroners have?

They can jail witnesses for contempt and impose reporting restrictions

Are inquests normally held in public?

Yes

When can documentary evidence be admitted?

If unlikely to be disputed or the witness cannot attend

Can journalists inspect documentary evidence?

Yes

What legal principles support journalist access to inquest documents?

Article 10 rights and open justice

What guidance supports access to inquest documents?

Chief Coroner's guidance

What document are journalists entitled to see after an inquest?

The Record of Inquest

Can inquest decisions be appealed?

No direct appeal, but judicial review is possible

Can an inquest verdict be quashed?

Yes

What is a treasure inquest?

An inquest to decide if objects qualify as treasure

When is an object classed as treasure?

If it is gold or silver or over 300 years old

What happens if an item is declared treasure?

A museum may acquire it

Can the finder receive a reward?

Yes

What if a museum does not want the item?

The landowner may decide what happens to it

Why must suicides be reported ethically?

To prevent imitation or copycat behaviour

Which codes govern suicide reporting?

IPSO Editors' Code and Ofcom Code

What should media avoid when reporting suicide?

Excessive detail of the method

What does Clause 5 of the Editors' Code say?

Avoid excessive detail to prevent simulative acts

What does Ofcom Section 2 say about suicide methods?

They must not be included unless editorially justified

What does 'excessive detail' mean?

Detail that could enable or encourage suicide

What details are acceptable to report?

The general method without specifics

What details should never be included?

Exact methods, quantities, or measurements

Is it ethical to name suicide locations?

Usually no, unless there is a strong public interest

What guidance does Samaritans provide to journalists?

Media guidelines on responsible suicide reporting

What should reports not portray about suicide methods?

That they are quick, easy, painless or guaranteed

What should reports avoid oversimplifying?

The causes of suicide

Why should suicide notes not be published?

They risk romanticising or encouraging suicide

Why should tributes be avoided?

They can glorify or romanticise suicide

Why avoid prominent or repeated images?

They increase risk of imitation

What should responsible reporting of suicide include?

That suicide is preventable and sources of support