FARMINGTON — Clerk of Courts Laureen “Laurie” Pratt of Weld said she has always found the legal process fascinating.

So much so that after being a legal secretary and office manager for Charles LaVerdiere’s law firm in Wilton for 16 years, she pursued an assistant clerk’s position in the Farmington courts.

LaVerdiere went on to become chief judge of district courts in Maine.

Pratt became an assistant clerk in Farmington on June 10, 2002. She took the clerk certification training during that time. She moved on to became clerk of courts in Rumford in 2012 and was named clerk of courts in Farmington in September.

The Farmington position formerly was held by Vicki Hardy, who had worked nearly 38 years for the court system when she retired in July.

Pratt had watched the legal process through her time at the law firm, including doing a lot of real estate work. She watched it from another perspective when her husband, Mike Pratt, was a game warden. He has since retired from the Maine Warden Service.

“I went to jury duty one time and was absolutely fascinated to see the legal process,” she said.

She never got to serve because the only trial she was called for was night hunting and her husband was the warden on the case.

“I think that by me working in the law office, it intrigued me, and I really wanted to learn it,” Laurie Pratt said.

She served on the Regional School Unit 9 board for six years and also served as a Weld selectman for six years. She is still active in her community and town affairs.

Pratt learned all aspects of the Farmington court system, including criminal and civil work in Franklin County Superior Court and Farmington District Court.

She now oversees the local courts and is learning the unified criminal docket process, which combines criminal cases into one docket for both felony and misdemeanor charges.

“The nice thing about a combined court is everybody gets a chance to learn all types of dockets, and you have to be versatile to work in superior court and district court,” she said.

The clerk can be working with customers at the window or answering the phones, she said.

Pratt likes all of it.

Usually when people come into court, it is not a good time in their lives. Clerks try to make it as easy as possible for them, she said.

“It’s just incredible how hard everybody works at all the clerks’ offices,” she said. “I think judicial branch workers are very dedicated workers.”

The Maine Judicial Branch worked with Central Maine Community College to develop an associate degree in judicial studies.

Pratt is taking her final course and will complete it in December.

“I have been taking college courses online for a few years,” she said. “I work on homework every night.”

When she gets her degree, she plans to continue on to get her bachelor’s degree.

“Knowledge is huge,” she said. “I want to be a constant learner.”

dperry@sunjournal.com

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