Appointment of Auckland Coroner

Auckland barrister Debra Bell has been appointed a coroner, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson QC announced today. 

Ms Bell fills the vacancy created when Judge Deborah Marshall was appointed Chief Coroner earlier this year. She joins four other coroners serving Auckland, Henderson, Manukau, Papakura, Pukekohe and Takapuna.

Ms Bell has been in practice as a barrister sole since 2013. She was previously a partner at Meredith Connell for eight years and before that worked as a legal executive for that firm for 12 years. Earlier in her career she was a Deputy Registrar at Henderson District Court. 

Ms Bell will be sworn in as a coroner on 6 August 2015.