About Us
Serving Delaware County and the State of Indiana Since 1985.
Protecting the Law Since 1985
Dowling Law Office was founded when Ralph Dowling moved his law practice from Indianapolis to Muncie and began practicing law with his wife, Kimberly Dowling, who had already been practicing in Muncie for decades. Although Kim took the bench as Judge of Delaware County Circuit Court #2 for 12 years, Ralph continued the traditions of Dowling Law Office. Kim rejoined the practice in 2025 limiting her practice to mediation of family law matters.
Dowling Law Office is dedicated to serving the legal and personal needs of clients and community. Kim and Ralph have lived in Delaware County since 1984. Ralph focuses his practice on personal injury cases, family law of all kinds, and civil appeals. Ralph has practiced in state and federal trial and appellate courts in over a dozen states. Kim will focus specifically on family law mediations.
Our Practice
Family
Divorce, separation, paternity, custody, parenting time, child support, and adoptions.
Personal Injury
Auto accidents to slip or trip and fall cases, malpractice, products liability, and other negligence.
Civil Appeals
Appeals in State and Federal civil cases for personal injury, family law matters, and insurance litigation.
Other
Wills, powers of attorney, and contracts; real estate transactions and disputes, and litigation of other civil cases.
Why Choose Dowling Law
RALPH E. DOWLING graduated summa cum laude from the University of Indiana School of Law in Indianapolis, where he was a member of the Indiana Law Review, a member of the winning team and top advocate in the law school’s moot court competition. Before law school, Ralph received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Northern Colorado and doctoral degree from the University of Denver. Ralph has worked on cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, Texas, California, Virginia, New Hampshire, and several other states.
Scholarly and Legal Publications
The Morals of the Story; Narrativity & Legal Ethics, 27 INDIANA LAW REVIEW 191 (1993)
Wrongful Death in Indiana, THE INDIANA LAWYER (1998)
Major Victory for Victims of Negligent Police, TRIAL LAWYERS OF COUNSEL (1994)
Bar Admissions
Indiana, since 1994
United States District Courts for the Southern District of Indiana, since 1994
United States District Courts for the Northern District of Indiana, since 1994
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, since 1996
Admitted pro hac vice in numerous other federal and state courts
Bar Activities
Member, Indiana State Bar (Appellate and Litigation Sections)
Member, American Bar Association (Litigation Section)
Former President, officer, board member, and member, Muncie Bar Association
Member, Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
Academic Career Highlights
Before entering the practice of law, Ralph Dowling taught at the University of Northern Colorado, University of Denver, Ball State University, and the University of Indiana, and authored or co-authored several book chapters and articles in national and international journals, including POLITICAL COMMUNICATION & PERSUASION (1989, 1990), COMMUNICATION STUDIES (1990), CONFLICT QUARTERLY (1989), WESTERN JOURNAL OF SPEECH COMMUNICATION (1986), JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION (1986), COMMUNICATION EDUCATION (1983), and JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN FORENSIC ASSOCIATION (1981). Mr. Dowling also authored or co-authored over a dozen papers presented at professional conventions, several of which won awards.
KIMBERLY (KIM) S. DOWLING was born in Decatur, Illinois. She graduated from Pomona High School in Arvada, Colorado. Kim received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Denver in 1981. She received her J.D. (law degree) from the University of Colorado in 1984. Kim was first admitted to practice law in 1985 and has been licensed ever since. Kim also graduated the Indiana Graduate Program for Judges in 2016. She was elected to the bench in 2012 and served as the Judge of Delaware County Circuit Court 2 from 2013-24.
Service to the Legal Community
Kim was President of the Muncie Delaware County Bar Association for 2009-10. She was chosen to serve on the Board of Governors of the Indiana State Bar Association for 2011-12. She was a Board Member of the Indiana Judges Association and the Indiana Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. She served as a Board Member and Committee Chair for the Coalition for Court Access from 2016-19
Selected Awards
Recipient, Randall T. Shepard Pro Bono Award. The award, named after former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Randall T. Shepard, was for her work in assisting people who cannot afford attorneys.
Service to the Community
Chair, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Committee-Indiana Commission to Improve the Status of Children
Kim has been a member of the Rotary Club in Muncie since 2014.
Selected Published Appellate Decisions
Wohlt v Wohlt, Indiana Supreme Court, 2024 Ind. LEXIS 707 (Ind. 2024)
Griffin v. Acker, 659 N.E.2d 659 (Ind. Ct. App. 1995), trans. den. (1996)
Snyder v. Cobb, 638 N.E.2d 442 (Ind. Ct. App. 1994), trans. den. (1996)
Necessary v. Inter-State, 697 N.E.2d 73 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998)
Shebel v. Yaksawa et al, 713 N.E.2d 275 (Ind. 1999) (amicus brief)
Indiana Farmers v. Richie, 694 NE2d 1220 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998), rev. 707 NE2d 992 (1999)
Phillips v. Cricket, 2001 PA Super 109, 2001 Pa. Super. LEXIS 427 (2000) (amicus brief)
Harris v. Traini, 759 NE2d 215 (Ind. Ct. App. 2001), rehg. den., trans. den. (2002)
State v. Evans, 790 N.E.2d 558 (Ind. Ct. App. 2003), 810 N.E.2d 335 (Ind. 2004)
Rector v. Joe’s Video, 809 NE2d 887 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004)
Pelak v. Prentice-Hall, 831 N.E.2d 765 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005); trans. den.
Monroe Guaranty v Magwerks, 796 NE2d 326 (Ind. Ct. App. 2003), aff’d in part 829 NE2d 968 (Ind. 2005)
Griffin v. Griffin, 872 N.E.2d 653 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Kennedy v. Town of Gaston, 923 N.E.2d 988 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010)
Anderson v. Ivy, 955 N.E.2d 795 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Selected Unpublished Appellate Decisions
Hensley v. Hensley, 2017 Ind. App. Unpub LEXIS 1137
Showalter v. Ray, 2017 Ind. App Unpub. LEXIS 170
Campbell v. Campbell, 118 N.E.3d 817 (Ind.App. 2019) trans denied 130 N.E.3d 1144 (Ind. 2019)
In re P.B. & K.,145 N.E.3d, 147 2020 Ind.App. Unpub. LEXIS 367
Stamper v. Fayette County, (Ind. Ct. App. 1997) trans. den. (1997)
Forte v. Tradewinds Rest., (Ind. Ct. App. 1998) rehg. den., trans. den. (1999)
McCombs v. Scripto-Tokai, (Ca. Ct. App. 1999)
McCombs v. Scripto-Tokai, (Ca. Ct. App. 2000)
Pate v. State Farm, (7th Cir. 2001)
Wiley v. Consolidated Medical Transport, (Ind. Ct. App. 2001) trans. den. (2001)
Vendramin v. Strain, (Ind. Ct. App. 2003)
Baker v Mercer, (Ind. Ct. App. 2006)
Hicks v. Hicks, (Ind. Ct. App. 2004), trans. den., 831 N.E.2d 740 (Ind. 2005)
Farrell v. Farrell, 900 N.E.2d 509, 2008 WL 5401412 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008)
Farrell v. Farrell, 927 N.E.2d 431, 2010 WL 2145495 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010), trans. den.
Walburn v. Walburn, (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Ankney v. Ankney, 873 N.E.2d 208 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Solek v. Solek, 885 N.E.2d 768 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008)
Harrold v. Thornburg, 941 N.E.2d 571 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Hardin v. Hardin, 964 N.E.2d 247 (Ind. Ct. App. 2012)
Lane v. Lane, 965 N.E.2d 773 (Ind.App. 2012)
R.B. v. M.B., 952 N.E.2d 889 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Reed v. St. Gobain, 953 N.E.2d 675 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Ricketts v. Ricketts, 945 N.E.2d 826 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)