http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/section/9ACoroners and Justice Act 2009An Act to amend the law relating to coroners, to investigation of deaths and to certification and registration of deaths; to amend the criminal law; to make provision about criminal justice and about dealing with offenders; to make provision about the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses; to make provision relating to the security of court and other buildings; to make provision about legal aid and about payments for legal services provided in connection with employment matters; to make provision for payments to be made by offenders in respect of benefits derived from the exploitation of material pertaining to offences; to amend the Data Protection Act 1998; and for connected purposes.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-03-23Expert Participation2026-03-22 Coroners and Justice Act 2009s. 31ACrime and Policing Act 2026s. 247(1)s. 255(1) Part 1 Chapter 19A1A senior coroner holding an inquest with a jury may order the members of the jury to surrender any electronic communications devices for a period.2An order may be made only if the senior coroner considers that—athe order is necessary or expedient in the interests of justice, andbthe terms of the order are a proportionate means of safeguarding those interests.3An order may only specify a period during which the members of the jury are—ain the building in which the inquest is being heard,bin other accommodation provided at the senior coroner's request,cvisiting a place in accordance with arrangements made for the purposes of the inquest, ordtravelling to or from a place mentioned in paragraph (b) or (c).4An order may be made subject to exceptions.5It is a contempt of court for a member of a jury to fail to surrender an electronic communications device in accordance with an order under this section.6Proceedings for a contempt of court under this section may only be instituted on the motion of a senior coroner having jurisdiction to deal with it.7 In this section, “electronic communications device” means a device that is designed or adapted for a use which consists of or includes the sending or receiving of signals that are transmitted by means of an electronic communications network (as defined in section 32 of the Communications Act 2003). Ss. 9A, 9B inserted (13.4.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), s. 95(1), Sch. 13 para. 1; S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 79