All code cases in Highlands County are heard by a Special Magistrate. The Special Magistrate has the authority to subpoena witnesses and records, order rulings on violations, assess fines, and order liens to be placed upon the property.
MEETINGS:
The Special Magistrate meets once a month on the first Wednesday of every month at 1:30 p.m. in the Commissioners' Board room in the Highlands County Government Center. The next hearing is March 4, 2026.
Thomas S. Dolney is the Code Enforcement Special Magistrate for Highlands County Board of County Commissioners.
Mr. Dolney graduated from the University of Florida in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He earned his law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law, graduating in 2006.
He is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Mr. Dolney is the manager/owner of Dolney Law, PLLC, which specializes in business litigation. He was the Code Enforcement Special Magistrate for the City of Mount Dora from June 2019 to October 2021. He is a mediator on the Citizen Dispute Resolution Program with the Orange County Bar Association; a member of the Business Law Committee with the Orange County Bar Association; a member of the Real Property Committee with the Orange County Bar Association; and a Guardian ad Litem with the Orange County Bar Association.