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Watson, Penelope --- "Legal and Ethical Issues in Wrongful Life Actions" [2002] MelbULawRw 37; (2002) 26(3) Melbourne University Law Review 736

[*] [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) (‘Edwards’); Harriton v Stephens [2002] NSWSC 461 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) (‘Harriton’); Waller v James [2002] NSWSC 462 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) (‘Waller’).

[1] Kimberly D Wilcoxon, ‘Statutory Remedies for Judicial Torts: The Need for Wrongful Birth Legislation’ (2001) 69 University of Cincinnati Law Review 1023, 1023.

[2] Terms such as ‘wrongful pregnancy’ and ‘wrongful conception’ are also found in the cases.

[3] Arguably, the first wrongful life claim was Zepeda v Zepeda, 190 NE 2d 849 (Ill Ct App, 1963). However, this case and others like it, although termed ‘wrongful life’ cases, are more properly viewed as ‘dissatisfied life’ cases, typically based on allegations of injury stemming from illegitimacy. See generally Harvey Teff, ‘The Action of “Wrongful Life” in England and the United States’ (1985) 34 International and Comparative Law Quarterly 423. Wrongful life cases as currently understood may more properly be regarded as originating with Gleitman v Cosgrove, 227 A 2d 689 (NJ, 1967).

[4] Edwards [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [3].

[5] Ibid.

[6] [1977] HCA 45; (1977) 139 CLR 161.

[7] Only two Australian authorities were considered by Studdert J, both involving children born disabled as a result of rubella or measles contracted by the mother during pregnancy: Bannerman v Mills [1991] Aust Torts Reports 81-079; Hayne v Nyst (Unreported, Supreme Court of Queensland, Williams J, 17 October 1995).

[8] [1982] QB 1166 (‘McKay’).

[9] Studdert J described the case as ‘very persuasive authority’: Edwards [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [50].

[10] The Congenital Disabilities (Civil Liability) Act 1976 (UK) c 28 now precludes any possible action for wrongful life in the United Kingdom. This statute was passed while McKay was being considered by the English courts.

[11] [1972] VicRp 40; [1972] VR 353.

[12] [1992] EWCA Civ 2; [1993] QB 204.

[13] [1992] 3 All ER 820.

[14] [1991] NSWCA 302; (1991) 23 NSWLR 26.

[15] Ibid 37 (Clarke JA).

[16] [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [63].

[17] See, eg, Distillers Co (Biochemicals) Ltd v Thompson [1971] AC 458.

[18] [1982] QB 1166, 1178 (Stephenson LJ).

[19] Harriton [2002] NSWSC 461 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [15].

[20] See, eg, Bennett v Minister for Community Welfare [1992] HCA 27; (1992) 176 CLR 408; Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232. This point was explicitly made by Stephenson LJ in McKay [1982] QB 1166, 1179.

[21] [1982] QB 1166, 1180.

[22] Harriton [2002] NSWSC 461 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [21].

[23] (1997) 188 CLR 159.

[24] Harriton [2002] NSWSC 461 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [45]–[46].

[25] Ibid [47].

[26] Ibid.

[27] See, eg, the illustration given by Deane J in March v E & M H Stramare Pty Ltd [1991] HCA 12; (1991) 171 CLR 506, 523 to the effect that the fact that a person has a head is not a cause of his or her being decapitated, notwithstanding that possession of a head is an essential precondition of decapitation.

[28] [1982] QB 1166, 1192 (Griffiths LJ).

[29] Ibid 1189.

[30] Ibid 1181.

[31] Edwards [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [75].

[32] McKay [1982] QB 1166, 1184 (Stephenson LJ).

[33] Ibid 1188.

[34] Ibid.

[35] Ibid 1192.

[36] Ibid 1193 (Griffiths LJ).

[37] Nelson v Krusen, 678 SW 2d 918, 925 (Tex, 1984) (citations omitted).

[38] McKay [1982] QB 1166, 1181 (Stephenson LJ).

[39] Elliott v Brown, 361 So 2d 546 (Ala, 1978); Walker by Pizano v Mart, 790 P 2d 735 (Ariz, 1990); Lininger v Eisenbaum, 764 P 2d 1202 (Colo, 1988); Garrison v Medical Centre of Delaware Inc, 581 A 2d 288 (Del, 1989); Kush v Lloyd, 616 So 2d 415 (Fla, 1992); Atlanta Obstetrics & Gynecology Group v Abelson, 398 SE 2d 557 (Ga, 1990); Blake v Cruz, 698 P 2d 315 (Idaho, 1984); Siemieniec v Lutheran General Hospital, 512 NE 2d 691 (Ill, 1987);

Cowe v Forum Group Inc, 575 NE 2d 630 (Ind, 1991); Bruggeman v Schimke, 718 P 2d 635 (Kan, 1986); Petre v Opelousas General Hospital, 517 So 2d 1019 (La Ct App, 1987) (affirmed in part and reversed in part on other grounds in 530 So 2d 1151 (La, 1988)); Kassama v Magat, 767 A 2d 348 (Md, 2001); Viccaro v Milunsky, 551 NE 2d 8 (Mass, 1990); Strohmaier v Associates in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 332 NW 2d 432 (Mich Ct App, 1982); Wilson v Kuenzi, 751 SW 2d 741 (Mo, 1988); Greco v United States, 893 P 2d 345 (Nev, 1995); Azzolino v Dingfelder, 337 SE 2d 528 (NC, 1985); Smith v Cote, 513 A 2d 341 (NH, 1986); Gleitman v Cosgrove, 227 A 2d 689 (NJ, 1967); Becker v Schwartz, 386 NE 2d 807 (NY, 1978); Flanagan v Williams, 623 NE 2d 185 (Ohio Ct App, 1993); Hester v Dwivedi, 733 NE 2d 1161 (Ohio, 2000); Ellis v Sherman, 515 A 2d 1327 (Pa, 1986); Nelson v Krusen, 678 SW 2d 918 (Tex, 1984); James G v Caserta, 332 SE 2d 872 (W Va, 1985); Dumer v St Michael’s Hospital, 233 NW 2d 372 (Wis, 1975); Beardsley v Wierdsma, 650 P 2d 288 (Wyo, 1982); Phillips v United States, 508 F Supp 537 (1980).

[40] 106 Cal App 3d 811 (1988) (‘Curlender’).

[41] 643 P 2d 954 (Cal, 1982).

[42] Curlender, 106 Cal App 3d 811, 829 (1988).

[43] Ibid.

[44] Turpin v Sortini, 643 P 2d 954, 957, 964–5 (Cal, 1982).

[45] 478 A 2d 755 (NJ, 1984). The Supreme Court of Washington also confined damages awarded to special costs referable to the plaintiffs’ disabilities in Harbeson v Parke-Davis Inc, 656 P 2d 483 (Wash, 1983).

[46] Procanik v Cillo, 478 A 2d 755, 763 (NJ, 1984).

[47] [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [35].

[48] Perruche (2000) Case No 9913701 (Unreported, Cour de Cassation Assemblée Plénière,

17 November 2000).

[49] (1997) 188 CLR 159.

[50] [1988] HCA 44; (1988) 165 CLR 107 (‘Trident’).

[51] See the judgments of Mason CJ and Wilson J, Toohey J, and Gaudron J.

[52] [2002] NSWSC 461 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [76]–[78].

[53] Ibid [78].

[54] Edwards [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [129]–[133].

[55] Law Book Company, Laws of Australia, vol 27 (at 1 November 2002) 27 Professional Liability, ‘3 Negligence’ [16].

[56] [1983] 2 All ER 522 (‘Udale’).

[57] Ibid 530–1.

[58] [1985] QB 1012 (‘Emeh’).

[59] Ibid 1025 (Slade LJ).

[60] [1986] QB 644 (‘Thake’).

[61] Ibid 682–3 (Kerr LJ).

[62] [1999] UKHL 50; [2000] 2 AC 59 (‘McFarlane’).

[63] Ibid 82–3.

[64] Ibid 105–6.

[65] [2001] EWCA Civ 530; [2002] QB 266.

[66] [2001] EWCA Civ 1522; (2002) 64 BMLR 47.

[67] [2002] EWCA Civ 88; [2002] 2 All ER 177.

[68] [1995] 2 Qd R 326 (‘Veivers’).

[69] (1995) 38 NSWLR 47 (‘CES’).

[70] [2001] QCA 246 (Unreported, McMurdo P, Davies and Thomas JJA, 26 June 2001) (‘Melchior’).

[71] Ibid 79–85.

[72] Ibid 70, 78.

[73] Ibid 85–7.

[74] Cattanach v Melchior (No B59 of 2001); special leave to appeal granted 19 March 2002 (Gaudron and Kirby JJ).

[75] [1999] UKHL 50; [2000] 2 AC 59; see the discussion above Part III(A).

[76] See, eg, F v R (1982) 29 SASR 437 (Mohr J); aff’d (1983) 33 SASR 189; Petrunic v Barnes [1988] Aust Torts Reports 80-147; Bannerman v Mills [1991] Aust Torts Reports 81-079; Kambouroglou v Women’s Hospital (Crown Street) (Unreported, Supreme Court of NSW, Toose J, 2 December 1980).

[77] Harriton [2002] NSWSC 461 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [58]. This is an example of the distributive justice argument. For similar arguments, in the context of the Hillsborough Stadium disaster, see Frost v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police [1998] UKHL 45; (1999) 2 AC 455,

503–4.

[78] [1999] UKHL 50; [2000] 2 AC 59, 83.

[79] [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [114].

[80] [2002] NSWSC 460 (Unreported, Studdert J, 12 June 2002) [111].

[81] Ibid [112]–[113].

[82] Ibid [113].

[83] Ibid [120], citing Kinzett v McCourt [1999] NSWCA 7; (1999) 46 NSWLR 32, 51 (Spiegelman CJ).

[84] Alexander Morgan Capron, ‘Job in Court’ (1999) 29(5) The Hastings Center Report 22, 22.

[85] Procanik v Cillo, 478 A 2d 755, 763 (NJ, 1984).

[*] BA (Hons) (Tas), LLB (UNSW), LLM (Syd); Lecturer, Division of Law, Macquarie University.