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A veteran Randolph County judge will retire early next month after more than 2o years on the bench.
The Indiana Supreme Court announced Randolph Circuit Court Judge Jay Toney’s retirement in an order last week. His final day on the court will be July 6, 2026.
In his stead, the high court has appointed Senior Judge Kimberly Dowling to serve as Judge Pro Tempore for Randolph County until further notice. Dowling is a veteran Delaware County judicial officer who previously served as Judge Pro Tempore for Randolph Superior Court Judge Dale Arnett, who was forced to resign last fall for judicial misconduct.
Dowling will continue handling the employment of court personnel and other judicial duties.
Toney, a Republican, was first elected to the Randolph County court in 2004. He then won reelections in 2010, 2016 and 2022, according to Ballotpedia.
“I think both the practice of law and being on the bench are rewarding,” Toney told The Indiana Lawyer.
But as he prepares to step down from the bench, Toney expressed deep concerns regarding rural Indiana’s attorney shortage, particularly in his home county.
“We simply don’t have enough attorneys in our county to do the work,” he said.
However, with advancements in court initiatives and the new case management system, he is optimistic about the future.
“Hopefully, people will continue striving to go into that work,” he said.
After July 6, Toney said he plans to travel and play some more golf.
And now that he has his first grandson, he says he’ll get to spend more time playing with him.
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