DELAWARE — Emma Mirles-Jones came out ahead of Nickolas McCoy in the race for an unexpired term on the Delaware County Common Pleas Court, according to final, unofficial totals from the Delaware County Board of Elections.
With all 180 precincts reporting, Mirles-Jones received 42,633 votes, or 51.15%, to McCoy’s 40,714 votes, or 48.85%.
The results remain unofficial until the Board of Elections completes its official count and certifies the election. The winner will fill the remainder of former Judge James Schuck’s term, which ends Dec. 31, 2030.
Schuck retired in June after taking a voluntary leave in November 2025. An assistant prosecutor had alleged Schuck forced her to have sexual contact twice and stalked her for months, according to The Columbus Dispatch. She filed a petition for a civil stalking protection order against him in November 2025.
Mirles-Jones has practiced law for 16 years, primarily as a public defender in Franklin, Delaware and, more recently, Morrow counties. Her experience includes criminal defense, representing parents in abuse, neglect and dependency cases, and serving as a guardian ad litem for children in those cases.
She has also practiced appellate law and worked in areas including mediation, business formation, foreclosure defense, landlord-tenant disputes and voting rights.
In a questionnaire submitted to Delaware Source before the election, Mirles-Jones said her experience in civil and criminal law prepared her for the judgeship.
“The legal system in the United States only works if everyone in the system works to ensure fairness at every stage of a case,” she said. “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.”
This is Mirles-Jones’ first campaign for judge. She previously ran for municipal clerk of court in 2019.
