Act of Sederunt (Fatal Accident Inquiry Rules) 2017

Lay support: functions, conditions and duties

18.—(1) A lay supporter may assist a participant by accompanying the participant at inquiry hearings.

(2) A lay supporter may, if authorised by the participant, assist the participant by—

(a) providing moral support;

(b) helping to manage inquiry documents and other papers;

(c) taking notes of the inquiry proceedings; and

(d) quietly advising on—

(i) points of law and procedure; and

(ii) issues which the participant might wish to raise with the sheriff.

(3) A participant may show any document or communicate any information about the inquiry proceedings to that participant’s lay supporter without contravening any prohibition or restriction on disclosure of the document or information.

(4) Where a document or information is disclosed under subparagraph (3), the lay supporter is subject to any prohibition or restriction on disclosure in the same way that the participant is.

(5) A lay supporter must not receive directly or indirectly from the participant any remuneration or other reward for assisting the participant.