term:

Inquest

inquest n

[Anglo-French enqueste, from Old French, ultimately from Latin inquirere to ask about, from in- within, into + quaerere to seek]
1 : a judicial or official inquiry or examination often before a jury [a coroner's ] compare trial
2 : a body of people (as a jury) assembled to hold a judicial or official inquiry
;also
: the finding of such an inquiry or the document recording it

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.