Mary Stella Jerram (born 1945) is a former

State Coroner of New South Wales The Coroner's Court of New South Wales is the court in the Australian state of New South Wales where legal proceedings, in the form of an inquest or inquiry, are held and presided over by the State Coroner of New South Wales (or NSW State Co ...

. Jerram was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Honorary Division in the

2018 Australia Day Honours The 2018 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2018 by the Governor General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove. The Aus ...

: "For significant service to the law in New South Wales as State Coroner, and as a role model for women in the legal profession."

Early life and education

Born and raised in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1945 to a "fairly conservative middle-class family", Jerram attended

St. Hilda's Collegiate School Saint Hilda's Collegiate School is a secondary school for girls in Dunedin, New Zealand. History Founded as an Anglican school in 1896 by the first bishop of Dunedin, Bishop Samuel Nevill and staffed by the Sisters of the Church. The sisters ...

in Dunedin, New Zealand, and the University of Otago, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Languages. Following her graduation, she was gainfully employed as a high school teacher of English and modern languages in Sydney, having moved there in 1969 with her husband and two young children. Regarding her career as a teacher, Jerram ; states that, "at the same time, I think I never really saw myself as teaching for the rest of my life" and with a previous history of advocacy, she soon thereafter commenced law studies.

Career

Early legal career

Following her completion of law studies, Jerram worked as a legal officer at the New South Wales Independent Teachers' Union from 1980 to 1987Tony Harris. (2007.) ''Basket Weavers and True Believers: The Making and Unmaking the Labor Left in Leichhardt Municipality C1970–1991'', Leftbank Publishing, pp. 52–3.Legal Aid NSW. (2007.
''The Green Issue''
46. and as a criminal duty solicitor and senior advocate at the New South Wales Legal Aid Commission from 1987 to 1994,The Statutory Functions of the Coroner – Continuing Professional Development Programs , College of Law
/ref> up until her secondment to an industrial inquiry into prisoners and prison officers.

Magisterial appointment

In 1994, Jerram was appointed as a Magistrate; after one general year and one as a specialist Children's Magistrate of New South Wales, she undertook the Goulburn country circuit for the next two-and-a-half years. In 2000, Jerram became the Deputy Chief Magistrate of the Local Court of New South Wales. In this capacity and role, Jerram provided advice regarding legislative and other proposals of assistance to the New South Wales Government and also education for other magistrates.

Early retirement

At the end of 2001, Jerram took an early retirement to live on a farm in her homeland of New Zealand. For the following five years, she had a commission as Acting Magistrate and came from New Zealand about five times a year for a fortnight to act as a ''locum'', mainly at the Downing Centre in Sydney, Australia.

Magisterial reappointment

After 5 years of retirement, Jerram "missed the law and ��Australia" and moved back to Australia. In October 2006, she was re-appointed as a full-time New South Wales magistrate.

Coronial appointment

Jerram was appointed by New South Wales Government Attorney-General

John Hatzistergos John Hatzistergos (born 20 August 1960) is an Australian judge of the District Court of New South Wales. He is a former politician who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council representing the Labor Party between 1999 and 2011, ...

, with the announcement made on 3 May 2007, and succeeded John Abernethy as the State Coroner of NSW. Commencing her (initially) 5-year contract and her tenure as State Coroner of New South Wales on 7 May 2007, Jerram became the first female State Coroner of New South Wales and was assisted by the Deputy State Coroner, His Honour Magistrate Paul A. MacMahon. Jerram retired in November 2013.

Personal life

Jerram was married to Ian Cameron, with whom she had joined the Australian Labor Party in October 1975. Jerram left the ALP around 1987. Jerram relocated to the Sydney suburb of Beecroft in 1969 with Cameron and her two children. She moved to Balmain a few months before joining the ALP.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jerram, Mary Australian coroners Australian magistrates Australian women judges Australian schoolteachers Australian solicitors Living people New Zealand emigrants to Australia 20th-century Australian lawyers New Zealand schoolteachers University of Otago alumni People educated at St Hilda's Collegiate School 1945 births 21st-century Australian judges 21st-century women judges