Coroner Sarn Herdson named as ex-judge at centre of judicial panel inquiry into misconduct

District Court Judge Lawrence Hinton, panel Chair Chief High Court Judge Justice Susan Thomas, and former diplomat Jacqueline Caine presided over today's hearing. Photo / Melissa Nightingale

A Coroner who resigned after allegations of serious misconduct can now be named.

In a decision published today, former Coroner Sarn Herdson was named as the ex-judge nearly made to face a judicial conduct panel.

The panel was initially assembled after she was alleged to have either authored, or been "otherwise involved in" the drafting and/or sending of letters in 2021, through which there appeared to be an attempt to give a person "instant credibility through false authorship".

The panel has not published any other details about the context of the alleged misconduct.

Herdson previously had name suppression, but the panel decided it was not satisfied she would suffer reputational damage to the point that it overrode the public interest, or the presumption of open justice, if her name was published.

"The panel considered that, if all details were suppressed, the impartiality and integrity of the judicial system may be brought into question."

The other person involved in the alleged misconduct has permanent name suppression.

Herdson denies the allegations, but resigned from her position in August 2021 - less than a month after the Attorney-General assigned a judicial conduct panel.

During discussion in the Wellington District Court in April, Herdson's lawyers argued the jurisdiction of the panel was clear; the fact their client no longer sat in office as a member of the judiciary deemed the process moot.

Paul Wicks QC argued if the judge was no longer a judge, there was no need to remove them.

However special counsel Dale La Hood argued for the continuation of the process, and said the fact the complaint had reached the stage it has, gave base to the argument that the alleged conduct of Herdson should be scrutinised.

The process, La Hood said, was to maintain standards and public protection as well as maintain the integrity of the judicial system.

In a decision released last month, the panel concluded it did not have jurisdiction and there was no purpose for them to investigate now Herdson was no longer a judge.