PATRICIA A. KENISTON, who worked for 16 years as a paralegal in private law practice before beginning a career in court administration, has been appointed clerk of the Franklin District Court.

Keniston began working for the judicial branch in November 2000 as a court assistant in Hooksett District Court and she worked for district courts in Plymouth and Laconia before coming to Franklin in March 2001. She has also worked as a court monitor in Superior Court where she was responsible for trial notes and logs. She became the Franklin District Court clerk on July 1.

"I like the cooperation with other professions, including the police department, probation, public defenders and private attorneys," Keniston said about the court system. "We all work together to -make the system better for the people we are serving," she said.

Keniston's duties include working on juvenile and domestic violence cases as well as scheduling, docketing, and assignments in the criminal, landlord tenant, small claims and civil areas.

A Plymouth resident, Keniston has completed several certification programs focused on issues involving families and children that frequently arise in the district courts. She has trained with the Plymouth Area Task Force Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and has additional training in youth and family mediation and divorce mediation.

Keniston is certified by the Superior Court as a guardian ad litem and for 10 years she has been a volunteer with the Court Appointed Special Advocates program (CASA) in which the court appoints advocates to help represent children who are in the court system.

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