Coroner's Court of the Australian Capital Territory

The Coroner's Court of the Australian Capital Territory is a court which has exclusive jurisdiction over the remains of a person and the power to make findings in respect of the cause of death of a person or fire in Australian Capital Territory.[1]

Coroner's Court of the Australian Capital Territory
JurisdictionAustralian Capital Territory
LocationLondon Circuit at Civic, Canberra
Authorized byAustralian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly via the Coroners Act 1997
Appeals toSupreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Websitewww.courts.act.gov.au/magistrates/courts/coroners_court
Chief Coroner
CurrentlyLorraine Walker
Since13 October 2011 (2011-10-13)

History

The office of coroner in the territory derives from the legal framework inherited from the United Kingdom.

Jurisdiction

At common law, coroners would constitute a court by virtue of their office. In the Australian Capital Territory, this common law position has been abolished and there is now the Coroner’s Court established.

Coroners have the power to investigate the causes of death within their jurisdiction.[1] They also have power to retain a person’s remains, order autopsies, and direct how a person’s remains may be disposed.[1] Coroners also have jurisdiction to hold inquests concerning the cause of any fire in the territory.[1]

Where a serious criminal offence has been disclosed during the course of an inquest, the coroner cannot proceed with it if a person is to be charged with that criminal offence. The coroner stops the inquest and refers the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration and investigation.[1] This changes the early colonial practice of coroners directly committing persons suspected of serious crimes directly for trial.

Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory has a supervisory role over the court, and may review, quash or direct inquests.[1]

In certain situations, the Attorney General may direct the Chief Coroner to conduct cause an inquiry to be held into a disaster in the territory.[1]

Composition

All magistrates are coroners by virtue of their appointment.[1] The Chief Coroner may appoint a special magistrate as a coroner.[1]

The Chief Magistrate of the Australian Capital Territory is the Chief Coroner for the territory.[1] The Chief Coroner has the function to oversee and co-ordinate coronial services in the territory, ensure that all deaths and suspected deaths concerning which a coroner has jurisdiction to hold an inquest are properly investigated, and ensuring that an inquest is held whenever it is required, and to issue guidelines to coroners to assist them in the exercise or performance of their functions.

Membership

Chief Coroner
Name Date appointed Term in office Notes
Chief Coroner Lorraine Walker 13 October 2011 (2011-10-13) 9 years, 111 days [2]

Coroners
Name Date appointed Term in office Notes
Coroner Beth Campbell 5 August 1998 (1998-08-05) 22 years, 180 days [3][4]
Coroner Peter Morrison 14 February 2012 (2012-02-14) 8 years, 353 days
Coroner Bernadette Boss 11 June 2012 (2012-06-11) 8 years, 235 days
Coroner Robert Cook 11 September 2013 (2013-09-11) 7 years, 143 days
Coroner Margaret Hunter OAM 21 May 2014 6 years, 256 days
Coroner Glenn Theakston 17 May 2016 (2016-05-17) 4 years, 260 days
Coroner Louise Taylor 10 September 2018 (2018-09-10) 2 years, 144 days

Process

Coroners must investigate the manner and cause of death for persons who die or may have died in certain circumstances.[1] This includes people who:

  • dies violently, or unnaturally, in unknown circumstances;
  • dies under suspicious circumstances;
  • dies and the death appears to be completely or partly attributable to an operation or procedure;
  • dies after having undergone an operation or procedure and in circumstances that, in the opinion of the Chief Coroner, should be better ascertained; or
  • dies and a doctor has not given a certificate about the cause of death;
  • dies not having been attended by a doctor at any time within the period commencing 6 months before the death; or
  • dies after an accident where the cause of death appears to be directly attributable to the accident; or
  • dies, or is suspected to have died, in circumstances that, in the opinion of the Attorney-General, should be better ascertained;
  • dies in custody.[1]

They are required, where possible, to establish: the identity of the deceased; when and where the death happened; the manner and cause of death, and in the case of the suspected death of a person — that the person has died.[1]

The coroner will initially ask police to investigate and provide a report to the coroner.[5]

Coroners can then either decide to waive a hearing where it is not necessary or decide to hold a public hearing.[5]

Significant inquests and/or inquiries

Notable inquests include:

References
  1. "Coroners Act 1997" (PDF). ACT Legislation Register. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  2. "Magistrates Court Appointment 2011". ACT Government Legislation Database. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  3. "Current ACT Magistrates". ACT Magistrates Court. ACT Government. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  4. "Special Magistrates". ACT Magistrates Court. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  5. "Coroner's Court". ACT Magistrates Court. 28 July 2017. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  6. http://www.courts.act.gov.au/BushfireInquiry/The%20Canberra%20Firestorm%20Report/The%%5B%5D
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