Melinda Adams, age 13, of Albuquerque, N.M., for her question:

CAN YOU EXPLAIN AN INQUEST?

An inquest is an inquiry held by a group of people who have the legal right to make an investigation. The word "inquest" comes from a Latin word meaning "to inquire" or "to search."

The inquest has been part of the English court system since early times. Inquests are held to get various types of information.

The word usually refers to a coroner's inquest in the United States and Canada. This type of inquest investigates the circumstances surrounding a death when the cause is not known, or when circumstances of a death point to unlawful acts.

The coroner of a county chooses a jury and this jury reports its findings to the coroner. The report is often used by the grand jury as the basis of a murder indictment.

In the United States, federal grand juries have from 16 to 23 members. The district attorney or other prosecutor usually schedules the hearings of witnesses before the grand jury.