“Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Seniors at Home in Stockton Springs” speaker series will present a “Probate Basics” workshop with Waldo County Probate Court Judge Susan W. Longley at the library on Sunday, September 24th at 2:00 PM at the Stockton Springs Community Library.

Judge Longley will explain the steps in organizing an advanced directive for health care and a financial power of attorney and will provide workshop participants with the relevant Maine forms. Group participation is welcome, as Judge Longley has found that workshop participants themselves often volunteer excellent ideas for handling delicate family matters.

Susan Longley currently serves as Waldo County Judge of Probate at a family court in Belfast, Maine. As Judge of Probate, Susan Longley combines her passion for her Waldo County constituents with her legal, legislative, and teaching experience to provide effective, efficient, and fair court services to families petitioning for guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions, name changes, and administration of decedents’ estates in the court over which she presides.
As Waldo County Judge of Probate, Susan Longley has worked to help families understand the procedural steps in filing and presenting their cases. She earned a degree in History from Mount Holyoke College. Longley earned her law degree and graduated in 1988 from the Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. Upon her return to Maine in 1988, Susan Longley was awarded a law clerkship for judges in Maine’s Superior Court system. She then practiced law by day and taught law courses at Unity College at night. During these years, Longley also managed to complete her Master’s degree in History at the University of Maine, where her honors thesis concerned the strengths and weaknesses of her father, Governor James B. Longley, Maine’s first independent Governor. From 1994 to 2002, Susan W. Longley represented Waldo County in the Maine State Senate. Having served as Waldo County Judge of Probate since 2005, Judge Susan W. Longley also extends her contributions to her community by speaking at statewide and community forums.

The Neighbors Helping Neighbors series of talks at SSCL is in response to the growing interest in “Aging in Place” a widespread movement geared towards helping senior citizens stay in their homes as long as possible as they age. With the current growing number of elders, this movement has the potential to improve the quality of life for many seniors.

Admission is free and all are welcome. Light refreshments will be served. For more information phone 207-567-4147.