LINCOLNVILLE — Susan C. Thiem this week announced she is running for Judge of Probate of Waldo County.

Born in Springfield, Mass., Thiem received her Doctor of Law degree from Western New England School of Law in 1979.

Admitted to the bars in Maine, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., Thiem has been practicing law in Maine since 1982.

A sole practitioner, Susan maintains a home office in Lincolnville, where for nearly 34 years she has practiced in the areas of probate, wills and estates, small business matters including corporations, creditor claims in bankruptcy court and numerous other areas of general practice.

She has argued cases in the Maine District, Superior and Supreme Law courts, as well as Federal Court.

She will appear on the November 2016 ballot as "Unenrolled," since it is her belief that the position of probate judge is not about political affiliation but about the proper administration of the Probate Code and the legal experience she would bring to the position.

In the news release announcing her candidacy, Thiem said that although the probate court is a court of limited jurisdiction, the probate judge is tasked with making important decisions regarding the welfare and independence of the elderly, proper distribution of estate assets as well as the safety and well being of minor children and incapacitated individuals.

She also said that in order to insure the Probate Code is administered in accordance with the law and to insure the due process rights of all parties representing their interests in proceedings before the probate court, upon being elected she will immediately take steps to implement policies and procedures that would greatly improve the Waldo County Probate Court.

If elected, Thiem said she will;

• Restore security by insuring that a bailiff is always in attendance during hearings held in the court.

• Insure that the register or deputy register is in attendance during every hearing held in the probate court to facilitate the audio recording of each hearing in order to create an accurate record of the proceedings should a matter ruled upon by the court be the subject of an appeal or further motion practice.

• Insure that the notice requirements are strictly enforced as proscribed by the rules, to permit all interested parties sufficient time to schedule their attendance and to subpoena witnesses for any hearing before the court.

• Insure that petitioners and respondents are allowed the amount of time to file motions, objections and replies proscribed by the Maine Rules of Probate Procedure.

• Insure that matters before the court are handled as expeditiously as possible without imposing costly and unnecessary delays or forced mediation.

• Insure that incomplete Petitions and Motions, which lack necessary information or otherwise fail to comply with the rules, are not placed on the court docket.

• Respect that the public has the right to expect impartial, well grounded decisions based on credible evidence that has been properly introduced into the record.

• To make objective decisions without personal bias or prejudice, and to work toward revising court procedures in order to align those policies and procedures already in place in the other 15 counties in Maine.