X v Deputy State Coroner for New South Wales [2001] NSWSC 46

(2001) 51 NSWLR 312 Reported Decision : [2001] NSWSC 46 [2001] ACL Rep 115 NSW 1

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : X v Deputy State Coroner for New South Wales [2001] NSWSC 46 FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 13101/2000 HEARING DATE(S) : 5/2/01;6/2/01 JUDGMENT DATE : 9 February 2001

PARTIES : X v Deputy State Coroner for New South Wales; Attorney General (amicus curiae) JUDGMENT OF : O'Keefe J

LOWER COURT Coroner's Court JURISDICTION : LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT J Stevenson, Deputy State Coroner JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Mr G Craddock - plaintiff Ms N Abadee - Attorney General (amicus curiae) For plaintiff: John J Joseph Lithgow SOLICITORS : For defendant and amicus curiae I V Knight Crown Solicitor Sydney CATCHWORDS : Coroners - Coroner's court - Termination of inquest and inquiry - Meaning of terminate - Findings - Verdict of jury - Record of findings or verdict - Presumption of regularity - Recommendations - Time at which recommendations are to be made - Power of coroner - Procedure in coroner's court - Alternative procedures - Discretion of coroner - Amicus curiae - Costs The Coroner's Act, 1960 (No.2 of 1960) LEGISLATION CITED : The Coroner's Act, 1980 (No.27 of 1980) Crimes Legislation Further Amendment Act, 1998 (No.149 of 1998) Interpretation Act, 1987 s.34 Harmsworth v The State Coroner (1989) VR 989 at 999 Attorney General (NSW) v Mirror Newspapers Limited (1980) 1 NSWLR 374 at 381 Attorney General v Maksimovich (1985) 4 NSWLR 300 at 315 R v Harding (1908) Crim App Rep 219 CASES CITED : DPP v Sinton [2000] NSWSC 473 (Supreme Court, unreported, 31 May 2000) Davies v Pratt (1855) 139 ER 1039 at 1041; 17 CB 183 at 188 Reed v Jackson (1801) 102 ER 137 at 138; 1 East 355 at 357 Regina v White (1860) 3 El & El 137 at 144; 121 ER 394 at 397 John Fairfax Publications Pty Limited v Abernathy [1999] NSWSC 820, 13 August, 1999, unreported DECISION : Declaration that Deputy State Coroner had no jurisdiction on 7 November, 2000 to make recommendations in relation to the inquest and inquiry terminated on 31 August, 2000; Order that the Deputy State Coroner be restrained from making recommendations in relation to any matter connected with the deaths or fire with which the terminated inquest and inquiry had been concerned; No order as to costs