DECKER v STATE CORONER OF NSW & ANOR [1999] NSWSC 369

Reported Decision : [1999] 46 NSWLR 415

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : DECKER v STATE CORONER OF NSW & ANOR [1999] NSWSC 369

CURRENT JURISDICTION : Common Law Division FILE NUMBER(S) : 10649/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 12 April 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 22 April 1999

Beth Annette Decker (Plaintiff) PARTIES : State Coroner of New South Wales (First Defendant) David Warren-Gash (Second Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Adams J at 1

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Coroner's Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Mr D Hand

COUNSEL : Mr M A Green QC with Mr Todd Alexis (plaintiff) Mr P R Hennessy SC with Mr E G Romaniuk (second defendant) SOLICITORS : Legal Representation Office (Marilyn Bartole) (Plaintiff) Curwood & Partners (Second Defendant) CATCHWORDS : Coroner's Court of NSW -; whether bound by the Evidence Act 1995; privilege against self-incrimination; whether certificate of immunity can be given by Coroner Coroners Act 1980 Evidence Act 1995 ACTS CITED : Coroners Act 1912 Coroners Court Act 1904 Coroners Act 1960 Coroners Amendment Act 1988 Attorney General v Mirror Newspapers [1980] 1 NSWLR 374 at 381 John Fairfax & Sons Limited v Gill (1988) NSWLR 77 at 80-81 Attorney General v Miksimovich (1985) 4 NSWLR 300 at 305 CASES CITED : Bilbao v Farquhar & Ors [1978] 1 NSWLR 538 at 535 Maksimovich v Walsh [1983] 2 NSWLR 656 at 662 Chippett v Thompson 7 SCR at 355 Mirror Newspapers Limited v Waller 1985 1 NSWLR 1 R v Coroner; ex parte Alexander 1980 [VR] 731 DECISION : Declarations sought are refused.