Burials, Cemeteries, Churchyards & Ecclesiastical Law

Burials

Advice concerning local authority powers & duties; consecration of burial places.

Advice to local authorities, churches, funeral directors and others on the management and use of burial places, including cemetery policies, authorisation of memorials, maintenance of graves and memorials, leveling of graves and removal of memorials.

Advice and drafting/advocacy on liability for dangerous memorials and headstones and other dangers in burial places, under negligence, occupiers' liability and health and safety law. General advice on health and safety in churchyards and cemeteries.

Advice on grants of rights of burials and registration of burials and on disinterment of dead bodies.

Advice on closing of burial grounds and on maintenance and use of disused burial grounds including closed church yards; disposal of burial grounds.

Advice on ecclesiastical jurisdiction over municipal cemeteries and in relation to church yards, especially faculty jurisdiction.

Prosecuting and defending offences relating to burials, cemeteries and church yards.

Ecclesiastical law

Advice on powers and duties of diocese, deaneries, parishes, vicar, churchwardens and Parochial Church Councils, particularly with regard to church land and buildings, acquisition or disposal of assets, funds held on trust, elections, organisation of parishes, appointment and removal of clergy and of other office holders and staff.

Advice on general and civil law as it relates to churches, clergy and church employees, especially employment law, child protection, licensing, trusts and charity law, contract law and negligence.

Advice in relation to faculty jurisdiction.

Representation at proceedings before ecclesiastical courts and on ecclesiastical matters in civil and criminal courts.

The members of the group are:

• Ian H Jones
• Chris Jeyes
• William Hillier
• Nathalie Bull