Jennifer Coate
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Coate is an Australian judge, and the current State Coroner
of Victoria
. She is the first woman to be appointed to the position. Until 2006, she served as the first President of the Children's Court of Victoria
.
. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in 1979, and a Bachelor of Laws
in 1984. Coate worked part-time as a teacher while she studied law.
and then a barrister
. She also served as an academic, and contributed to a range of social policy
groups and committees.
In 1992, Coate was appointed a magistrate
. By September 1996, she was Deputy Chief Magistrate of Victoria. In June 2000, she was made a judge of the County Court of Victoria
, and was made the first President of the Children's Court of Victoria
.
One of the most significant reforms she oversaw as President of the Children's Court was the establishment of a Children's Koori Court
, a specialist court designed to accommodate juvenile Indigenous offenders.
In 2001, Coate was made part-time Commissioner of the Victorian Law Reform Commission. Coate left the Children's Court in April 2006. On 29 November 2007, she formally took up responsibilities as Coroner
of Victoria
, marking the first time a woman had taken on the role.
Additionally, Coate has been involved in a wide range of charitable and community organizations. She has served as Chair of the
Health Services for Abused Victorian Children Advisory Group and Chair of the Anglicare Steering Committee for Group Conferencing Restorative Justice.
Coate is reportedly highly respected in legal circles as an extremely bright, thoughtful lawyer, who occasionally acts unconventionally to demonstrate a point. In 1993, when Coate had only recently been appointed a magistrate, a controversy broke out in a Victorian court, when a female solicitor was criticized by a judge for coming to court in polka-dot stockings and a suit with a skirt that finished above the knee. The incident attracted widespread media attention and sparked extensive debate. In a silent protest against her colleague's comments, Coate spent the remainder of the week dressed in outlandishly coloured and patterned stockings, ensuring that she was seen widely and publicly in Melbourne's legal precinct.
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. She is the first woman to be appointed to the position. Until 2006, she served as the first President of the Children's Court of Victoria
Children's Court of Victoria
The Children’s Court of Victoria is a statutory court created in Victoria, a State of Australia. The court deals with criminal offences committed by children aged between 10 and 17 as well as with proceedings relating to the care and protection of children....
.
Early life
Coate studied law at Monash UniversityMonash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1979, and a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1984. Coate worked part-time as a teacher while she studied law.
Professional career
Upon graduating, Coate worked as a solicitorSolicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and then a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
. She also served as an academic, and contributed to a range of social policy
Social policy
Social policy primarily refers to guidelines, principles, legislation and activities that affect the living conditions conducive to human welfare. Thus, social policy is that part of public policy that has to do with social issues...
groups and committees.
In 1992, Coate was appointed a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
. By September 1996, she was Deputy Chief Magistrate of Victoria. In June 2000, she was made a judge of the County Court of Victoria
County Court of Victoria
The County Court of Victoria was established in 1852 by the County Courts Act 1852. The court has jurisdiction in the State of Victoria, Australia...
, and was made the first President of the Children's Court of Victoria
Children's Court of Victoria
The Children’s Court of Victoria is a statutory court created in Victoria, a State of Australia. The court deals with criminal offences committed by children aged between 10 and 17 as well as with proceedings relating to the care and protection of children....
.
One of the most significant reforms she oversaw as President of the Children's Court was the establishment of a Children's Koori Court
Koori Court
A Koori Court is a division of the Magistrate's court in Victoria, Australia, that sentences Indigenous Australians who pleaded guilty. Koori Courts were created in order to allow participation of the Aboriginal community and culture in the legal system, in an attempt to bridge the cultural...
, a specialist court designed to accommodate juvenile Indigenous offenders.
In 2001, Coate was made part-time Commissioner of the Victorian Law Reform Commission. Coate left the Children's Court in April 2006. On 29 November 2007, she formally took up responsibilities as Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, marking the first time a woman had taken on the role.
Additionally, Coate has been involved in a wide range of charitable and community organizations. She has served as Chair of the
Health Services for Abused Victorian Children Advisory Group and Chair of the Anglicare Steering Committee for Group Conferencing Restorative Justice.
Coate is reportedly highly respected in legal circles as an extremely bright, thoughtful lawyer, who occasionally acts unconventionally to demonstrate a point. In 1993, when Coate had only recently been appointed a magistrate, a controversy broke out in a Victorian court, when a female solicitor was criticized by a judge for coming to court in polka-dot stockings and a suit with a skirt that finished above the knee. The incident attracted widespread media attention and sparked extensive debate. In a silent protest against her colleague's comments, Coate spent the remainder of the week dressed in outlandishly coloured and patterned stockings, ensuring that she was seen widely and publicly in Melbourne's legal precinct.