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Our role in investigating deaths

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is having a significant impact on the Scottish criminal justice system and the invesitgation of deaths. Visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19): information for bereaved families page for further information. 

Information is available for nearest bereaved relatives in our document The role of the Procurator Fiscal in the investigation of deaths

Procurators Fiscal are qualified lawyers who are employed by COPFS and who act on the instructions of the Lord Advocate. The Lord Advocate has responsibility in Scotland to investigate any death which requires further explanation. In other parts of the United Kingdom, the Coroner may investigate such deaths.

Within COPFS, the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU) is a specialist unit responsible for investigating all sudden, suspicious, accidental and unexplained deaths. There is a designated SFIU team based across each area of the country, in the North (SFIU North), East (SFIU East) and West (SFIU West).

When a person dies in Scotland, they cannot be buried or cremated until a medical certificate giving the cause of death has been issued. This certificate must be completed by a doctor, and must show the time, place and cause of death. Most sudden and unexplained deaths are reported to the Procurator Fiscal because a doctor is unable to confirm the cause of the death and is therefore unable to issue a death certificate.

Once a death has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal, the Procurator Fiscal has legal responsibility for the deceased's body, usually until a death certificate is written by a doctor and given to the nearest relative.
All deaths where the circumstances are thought to be suspicious must be reported to the Procurator Fiscal. The Procurator Fiscal will instruct the Police to investigate the circumstances and consider whether criminal charges should be brought which may lead to a prosecution.
A Fatal Accident Inquiry is a type of court hearing which publically inquires into the circumstances of a death. It will be presided over by a Sheriff and will normally be held in the Sheriff Court. If the death has happened as a result of an accident while at work or if the death happened while in legal custody, for example in prison or police custody, a Fatal Accident Inquiry will normally be held. FAIs can be held in other circumstances if it is thought by COPFS to be in the public interest to do so.

For further information and on-line leaflets please visit our Information following a death page.

Following any sudden death in Scotland, an inquiry is launched to establish the cause of death and to formally identify the deceased. 

This process involves Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and a pathologist who will conduct any post-mortem.

When incidents involving mass or multiple fatalities occur, many factors have to be taken into consideration, including the potential for criminal investigation, the scale of the incident and the potential difficulty in accessing the site. It is vital that the process of identification is carried out thoroughly to avoid mistaken identification and it can therefore take some time before there is the certainty required to formally identify the deceased. 

We understand the anxiety experienced by relatives waiting for news, and the need to provide them with timeous and accurate information as quickly as possible.  Specialist police and forensics experts often work round the clock to achieve identification, and dedicated Family Liaison Officers will provide families with information as quickly as possible. 

Prior to formal identification but at a stage where there is substantial information to suggest a person is highly likely to have been involved then contact via Family Liaison Officers will take place. Should the families wish, Police Scotland can assist in issuing statements on their behalf at this time.

The Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) process used in Scotland has been developed on the basis of lessons learnt from incidents around the world including plane crashes, terrorist incidents and natural disasters. Internationally recognised standards of identification, known as the INTERPOL Disaster Victim Identification Standards, are used to identify human remains.

These include recognised scientific methods to help identifying victims such as comparing dental records, fingerprints and DNA, especially when visual identification is not possible. This avoids misidentification, which could cause additional distress to victims’ families.

In an incident, including mass or multiple fatalities, there can also be significant work involved in establishing a reliable list of the missing as the Police Service can receive thousands of calls in relation to people who are feared missing. Families or friends of those reported missing are approached as soon as possible to provide information that will help to identify their loved ones.

The deceased will be treated with respect and dignity throughout the process, and relatives waiting for formal identification will be kept fully informed by dedicated Family Liaison Officers who will provide them with as much information as possible.





Q. What is a fatal accident inquiry?




Q. Why is a post-mortem being held?


Q. Why has my relative’s post mortem report been delayed because of toxicology?

A. Regrettably there are currently delays in the provision of toxicology analysis by our supplier. Whilst COPFS continues to undertake a number of steps, along with our supplier to resolve this issue, we are not able to confirm the date when post mortem reports will be available in cases where toxicology is instructed by the Procurator Fiscal.

COPFS is acutely conscious of the impact the delay in confirming the final cause of death can have upon bereaved families and we will be in contact with families who are affected by this issue.

Should you have any additional concerns or questions please do not hesitate to contact us.









Q. When can I get the death certificate?


Q. Can I check a cause of death?


