Emma Mirles-Jones, Nickolas McCoy vie for Common Pleas Court judge vacancy

DELAWARE — Voters will choose between Emma Mirles-Jones and Nickolas McCoy to fill an unexpired term on the Delaware County Common Pleas Court’s general division in the Nov. 3 election.

The seat became vacant when Judge James Schuck retired in June.

Schuck had taken a voluntary leave in November 2025 after an assistant prosecutor alleged he forced her to have sexual contact twice and stalked her for months, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

Schuck was first elected in November 2018 and reelected in November 2024. His term was set to end Dec. 31, 2030.

The Supreme Court of Ohio appointed visiting Judge Richard Frye to preside over the court beginning Dec. 2, 2025. Frye served until March 1, 2026, when Judge Guy Reese was appointed, according to Clerk of Courts Natalie A. Fravel.

A judge in the general division of the Delaware County Common Pleas Court handles felony criminal matters, civil cases and appeals from most administrative agencies, according to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

The candidates’ party affiliations will not appear on the general election ballot. The Delaware County Republican Party has endorsed McCoy, while the Delaware County Democratic Party has endorsed Mirles-Jones.

Delaware Source sent both candidates the same list of questions. Their responses appear below.

Nickolas McCoy

The Supreme Court of Ohio admitted McCoy to practice law in November 2009.

McCoy is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and previously served as a two-term president of the Delaware County Bar Association.

He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Capital University Law School, and his Bachelor of science in industrial technology from Ohio University.

Currently, McCoy serves as a magistrate in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas in the Juvenile and Probate Division where he manages a courtroom and civil docket.

“Prior to my appointment as a magistrate, I practiced law for nearly 16 years, representing moms and dads, sons and daughters, and their small businesses in all courts in Delaware County and in numerous courts throughout central and southeastern Ohio,” McCoy said.

“A significant portion of my career involved protecting and advocating for the most vulnerable people in our communities as a court-appointed guardian for both adults and children and as a guardian ad litem in custody matters and cases involving abuse, neglect and dependency.”

While practicing law, McCoy concentrated on areas including estate planning, elder law, guardianships, estate administration, domestic relations, business law and real estate. He also formerly worked as an associate attorney for a trial and criminal defense attorney.

This is McCoy’s first time running for judge. He said that’s because of the timing and his extensive background working in Delaware County.

“For over 23 years I have been committed to serving the residents of Delaware County and, for the past 17 years, the Delaware County legal community,” he said.

McCoy has been elected to public office before, serving on the Delaware County Republican Central Committee in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

McCoy said his judicial experience in the county’s Court of Common Pleas, private practice in several areas of law and his experience as a former engineer prior to practicing law sets him apart from his opponent.

“The analytical mind required of an engineer is ideally suited to the mind of a judge and the kinds of decisions judges have to make. My broad legal experience in private practice for almost 16 years serves me well in my role as a Magistrate and will continue to serve me well as a judge,” McCoy said.

He said in his experience as a magistrate, he has treated every person coming into his courtroom fairly based on the specific facts unique to each case.

“I have extensive experience with understanding the resources available to those affected by mental health and substance abuse issues and I have the discernment to understand when it is appropriate to get someone help rather than send them to prison. Sometimes it may be appropriate for a little bit of both,” McCoy said.

“This will be especially important for the continued success of the court’s specialized dockets dealing with mental health issues and substance abuse.”

McCoy said he will follow statutory guidelines when deciding sentencing matters and take into consideration the three primary purposes of felony sentencing: public protection, punishment, and rehabilitation.

“A voter should choose the candidate that has integrity, the candidate that will treat all who come before the court fairly, and the candidate who will interpret and apply the law as written without using this powerful position to legislate or prosecute from the bench. I am that candidate,” he said.

Emma Mirles-Jones

Mirles-Jones received her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, as well as a Master of Business Administration at Case Western Reserve University.

She earned her Bachelor of Art in hispanic studies, language and linguistics, and Russian area studies from Brown University.

Mirles-Jones has practiced law for the past 16 years, predominantly as a public defender in Franklin, Delaware and recently Morrow Counties.

Her experience includes criminal defense in juvenile, municipal and common pleas courts, as well as representing parents at risk of losing their parental rights in abuse, neglect and dependency cases.

She has also served as a guardian ad litem for children in those cases, a role that involves independently representing a child’s best interests, according to her campaign website.

Mirles-Jones has also practiced appellate law in those areas, reviewing and challenging or defending decisions made by trial courts or administrative agencies.

She has also previously practiced in other areas, including mediation, business formation, tax defense and preparation for individuals and small businesses, foreclosure defense, landlord-tenant disputes and voting rights.

This is her first time running for judge, but she ran for Municipal Clerk of Court in 2019. If elected, it would be the first time she has held a public position.

“Since then (2019), I have been working on my criminal defense and trial skills. Thus, I am particularly well-qualified for the position of judge considering I have practiced in both civil and criminal divisions,” Mirles-Jones said.

Mirles-Jones said what sets her apart from her opponent is she’s the only candidate who has practiced as a trial attorney in both civil and criminal courts, along with her prior careers.

“I have a 30-year career in human resources, commercial banking, real estate development and investment, and in the high-tech industry, which have prepared me to practice in civil court,” she said.

“Additionally, my 16 years as a public defender have prepared me to handle the most serious criminal cases. The General Division Judge needs to have experience in both civil and criminal law in order to be able to handle any case that gets thrown at her.”

Mirles-Jones also said she’s treated all of her clients fairly, evaluating the evidence and helping them identify their alibis and defenses to have a fair day in court.

“The legal system in the United States only works if everyone in the system works to ensure fairness at every stage of a case. It is the role of the judge to be a fair umpire in court during jury trials or procedural motions and a fair fact-finder during bench trials,” she said.

In the interest of helping move cases along, she created “cheat sheet” resources for family members filing their own motions to understand the court processes better.

“The voters of Delaware County are getting ready to hire a new judge for the largest court in the county which deals with the most serious cases. I am the only candidate who has extensive law practice experience in civil and criminal courts. As a mediator and quasi-judicial Guardian ad litem, I already work as an unbiased, neutral third party,” she said.