Cynthia Jane Ayers

Judge Cynthia Jane Ayers was born and raised in Indianapolis. She was predeceased by her father, Dewey Frazier Torain Sr., a retired United States Postal Worker and World War II veteran who served the military in the United States Army. Her mother Bernice O. Torain retired as a factory worker from RCA. She had two brothers Dewey Jr. and Leroy "Mr. Buddy" who both have now also passed on. She graduated from Shortridge High School. She earned her bachelor's degree in Sociology and her master's degree in government Affairs from the School of Public Environmental Affairs from Indiana University. She earned her J.D. at the IU McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis.

Judge Ayers entered public service immediately after law school and served as a Marion County Deputy Prosecutor. She was in the private practice of law in Indianapolis for many years. She served as an adjunct professor teaching business law at Indiana Vocational Technical College at Indianapolis and as an Adjunct Professor at the Indiana School of Public and Environmental Affairs teaching Corrections. Until her untimely passing, Judge Ayers served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the IU McKinney School of Law, teaching Ethics since 2008.

Judge Ayers was a former litigator for the Indiana Consumer Counselor, an agency representing utility ratepayers, before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. She previously served as Commissioner of the Marion Circuit Court hearing Title IV-D child support matters. She was thereafter appointed by the General Term of the Marion Superior Court Judges to serve as a Master Commissioner.

Undaunted by the challenges of sexism and racism, she ran for a seat on the bench as a Republican candidate in 1991 and won, becoming the first African American woman elected to the Marion Superior Court. She was overwhelmingly re-elected to the Superior Court on five occasions and appointed by the Governor and retained on two occasions.

Judge Ayers served six terms as a Marion Superior Court Judge in the Civil Division. Her docket included tort law, civil collections, business disputes, family law and a variety of other civil matters.

Judge Ayers held numerous leadership positions within the Court: Associate Presiding Judge of the Marion Superior Court, Presiding Judge of the Marion Superior Court, and Supervisory Judge of the Domestic Relations Counseling Bureau, the Family Resource Center, the Title IV-D Court, and the Ordinance Violation Court.

Judge Ayers served on countless committees and task forces working towards equal access to justice and fairness in our legal system. She is a past president of the Indianapolis Bar Association. She retired as a full-time judge in March 2024, and assumed senior judge status after 32 years on the bench, which made her one of the longest sitting judges in the state of Indiana.

Judge Ayers spent her free time with family and friends. She loved reading, traveling, studying French, and attending professional sporting events.

Judge Cynthia Jane Ayers is survived by her only daughter Cecily (Rich) Mount, four grand-children Loren (Alicia) Ayers, Briana Barringer (Jaylen), Jade Mount and Ava Mount, also two step grand-children Derek (Rachel) Mount and Jordan Mount. Four great-grandchildren Alex, Aiden (Ayers) and Oakland, Tatum (Washington), along with her favorite cousins Stephen (Harlon) Torian and Nina (Gerald) Graham and all their family. And she is survived by a host of nieces and nephews to complete her wonderful family, and the Roney family who she has cherished throughout the years, along with so many friends and colleagues.

A visitation for Cynthia will be held Friday, May 2, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Crown Hill Funeral Home & Cemetery, 700 W. 38th St., Indianapolis, Indiana 46208, followed by a celebration of life at 1:00 PM.