GUILFORD – Shortly after 10 a.m. on Friday, Joan Kline slipped her arms into her new black robe and was sworn in as the Town of Guilford’s newest justice.

Town Supervisor Al Doyle administered the oath of office to Kline, who was appointed by the town council on March 11 to serve out the remainder of the four-year term vacated by Town Justice Dennis Martin. Martin resigned from the bench at the end of last year.

The new justice has resided in the Town of Guilford for the last four years and is an active member of the Guilford Fire Department and EMS squad.

“She’s already well trained,” said Doyle, during the brief swearing-in ceremony. While Kline has never sat the bench, she has served in an unofficial capacity as court clerk to the town’s other justice, Judge David Daniels. She was also recently hired to serve as court clerk to Oxford Town Justice John Weidman.

Despite her experience with the town judicial system, Kline is required to complete a training course through the New York State Unified Court system before officially taking the bench. The training is spread out over four weekends, the first three of which are held in Syracuse. According to Kline, she will be able to “sit the bench” for the first time on April 25 prior to the final weekend of the program which is held in Albany.