[2024] WASC 13
General information, not legal advice.
Supreme Court of WA
2024-01-19
Hill J
Original judgment source is linked above.
(This judgment was delivered extemporaneously and has been edited from the transcript.)
(a) where there is a will, the court will ordinarily order that the body be released to the executor;[4]
(b) if there is no will, the court will ordinarily order that the body be released to the person who appears, on the state of the evidence before the court, to be the person who is most likely to receive a grant of administration of the intestate estate. This will ordinarily be the person with the greatest interest in the estate;[5]
(c) these are the common or usual approaches that apply but are not approaches that must be rigidly applied by the court.[6] The approach to be taken and the weight to be given to the various considerations depends on the particular circumstances of each case;[7]
(d) other factors, to the extent they are known to the court, and which may be relevant to the determination, include:[8]
(i) cultural considerations;[9]
(ii) the deceased's wishes and the wishes and sensitivities of living close relatives of the deceased,[10] including, where relevant, children;[11] and
(iii) the need for the funeral and burial to be held in a timely way and the costs and logistical difficulties with the competing proposals.[12]
(e) in determining the person to whom a deceased's body should be released, the court is not required to make any final determination of who is entitled to the intestate estate or administration of the estate. In many cases, the court will not be positioned to fairly and properly make such a final determination. Disputes about the release of a deceased's body should be resolved as soon as possible after the death, as it would be an affront to the dignity of the deceased and the emotional wellbeing of those close to the deceased, for the funeral to be delayed for many months after death to allow questions of interest and entitlement to be fairly and properly resolved;[13] and
(f) in proceeding in an expedited way, the court will not usually need to resolve every factual dispute that may be relevant to the grant of administration or to allow or undertake any extensive cross-examination of witnesses.[14]
... the question turns largely to matters of practicalities, paying due regard to the need to have the body disposed of without unreasonable delay but with all proper respect and decency.
This was a test adopted by Martin J in the case of Calma v Sesar [1992] NTSC 17; (1992) 106 FLR 446.
A legal solution must be found, not one based on competing emotions and the wishes of the living, except insofar as they reflect a legal duty or right. That solution will not embrace the resolution of possibly competing spiritual or cultural values.
The body of the deceased was in Darwin and proper arrangements had been made for burial here. There was no good reason in law why that should not be done and no good reason in law why the removal of the body from the Territory and burial in Western Australia was to be preferred.
(a) two affidavits of the plaintiff filed 5 and 16 January 2024; and
(b) two affidavits of Maureen Michelle Kelly, the plaintiff's mother and grandmother of Boy, filed 10 and 16 January 2024. The first affidavit of Ms Kelly annexes a letter from Ms Winmar, a Noongar female elder, who gave evidence of traditional Noongar lore and custom in respect of the burial of deceased persons.
(a) an affidavit of the first defendant;
(b) an affidavit of Karen De-Anne Rarere, the first defendant's mother and maternal grandmother of Boy;
(c) an affidavit of Hemi Ngari Anthony Huata, the first defendant's father and maternal grandfather of Boy;
(d) an affidavit of Chena'e McConnell, a friend of the first defendant who has known the first defendant since January 2018; and
(e) an affidavit of Ngaire Culshaw, the great aunt of Boy, whose elder brother Wi Derek Huata/King is a senior law elder of the family's tribe in Raupunga, Hawkes Bay in New Zealand.
Relevant factors Is there a party who has the highest ranking privilege to take out administration of Boy's estate?
I certify that the preceding paragraph(s) comprise the reasons for decision of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
[1] Burrows v Cramley [2002] WASC 47 [3] (Pullin J); Mourish v Wynne [2009] WASC 85 [21] (Le Miere J).
[2] Williams v Williams [1882] UKLawRpCh 60; (1882) 20 Ch D 659; Doodeward v Spence [1908] HCA 45; (1908) 6 CLR 406; Burrows v Cramley [15] - [16] (Pullin J).
[3] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [2022] WASCA 75 [52] ‑ [66].
[4] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [54], [59]; Smith v Tamworth City Council [1997] NSWSC 197; (1997) 41 NSWLR 680, 691; Jones v Dodd [1999] SASC 125; (1999) 73 SASR 328 [45] ‑ [46].
[5] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [54], [59], [65]; Smith v Tamworth City Council 691; Jones v Dodd [45] ‑ [46].
[6] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [55], citing Jones v Dodd [46].
[7] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [18] (Murphy & Beech JJA), [59] (Mitchell JA).
[8] Including in cases where there is estate and where there is no likelihood of any application for a grant of administration ever being made, or there are claims by persons with equally-ranking rights to apply for administration: Britt v Office of the State Coroner [56] ‑ [57].
[9] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [58]; Dann v Office of the State Coroner [2020] WASC 486 [53].
[10] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [58]; Dann v Office of the State Coroner [2020] WASC 486 [48].
[11] Dann v Office of the State Coroner [62]; Reece v Little [2009] WASC 30.
[12] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [58].
[13] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [16] (Murphy & Beech JJA) [60] ‑ [61], [64] (Mitchell JA).
[14] Britt v Office of the State Coroner [65]; The State of South Australia v Smith (2014) SASR 247 [40].
[15] Attwood v Office of the State Coroner [2020] WASC 198 [12].
[16] Joseph v Dunn [2007] WASC 238; (2007) 35 WAR 94 [21].
[18] Calma v Sesar [1992] NTSC 17; (1992) 106 FLR 446.
[21] AB v CD [2007] NSWSC 1474.
[25] Plaintiff's submissions filed 8 January 2024 [3].
[26] Affidavit of Maureen Michelle Kelly filed 16 January 2024 [7].
[27] First defendant's submissions filed 15 January 2024 [44], [61] - [62].
[28] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 'AH04', p 23.
[29] First defendant's submissions filed 15 January 2024 [63] - [65].
[30] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 [57].
[31] Affidavit of Daniel Phillip Pryor filed 5 January 2024 [19], [24].
[32] Affidavit of Daniel Phillip Pryor filed 5 January 2024 [21].
[33] Plaintiff's submissions in reply filed 16 January 2024 [20].
[34] Plaintiff's submissions filed 8 January 2024 [50], [54].
[35] Affidavit of Maureen Michelle Kelly filed 10 January 2024 [6] - [8].
[36] Affidavit of Daniel Phillip Pryor filed 16 January 2024 [3] - [4]; Plaintiff's submissions in reply filed 16 Janaury 2024 [2].
[37] Affidavit of Maureen Michelle Kelly filed 10 January 2024 'MMK16', p 16.
[38] Affidavit of Maureen Michelle Kelly filed 10 January 2024 [9].
[39] Affidavit of Daniel Phillip Pryor filed 5 January 2024 [25] - [26].
[40] Affidavit of Daniel Phillip Pryor filed 5 January 2024 [31].
[41] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 [10] - [14].
[42] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 [17] - [22].
[43] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 [23].
[44] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 [36].
[45] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 [37].
[46] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 [39], [55]-[56].
[47] Affidavit of Karen De-Anne Rarere filed 15 January 2024 [8] - [9]; Affidavit of Hemi Ngari Anthony Huata filed 15 January 2024 [20].
[48] Affidavit of Alexia Janet Huata filed 15 January 2024 [15]; Affidavit of Karen De-Anne Rarere filed 15 January 2024 [25] - [31]; Affidavit of Hemi Ngari Anthony Huata filed 15 January 2024 [11] - [18].
[49] Affidavit of Kelly Marie Niclair filed 8 January 2024, p 5 - 8.
(1992) 106 FLR 446
(1997) 41 NSWLR 680
(2007) 35 WAR 94
(1908) 6 CLR 406
(1999) 73 SASR 328