This story has been updated to reflect additional information provided to The Dispatch on June 18.
A Delaware County judge accused of sexually assaulting and harassing an assistant county prosecutor has retired, according to records provided to The Dispatch by the Ohio Supreme Court.
Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge James Schuck sent letters to Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy on June 11 informing them he was retiring from his position effective June 15. But he sent a revised letter on June 16, saying his retirement was effective June 19, according to an updated version of the letter provided by the Ohio Supreme Court on June 18.
The letters do not state why Schuck is leaving the elected position.
Schuck has been on voluntary leave since an assistant prosecutor in the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office filed for a civil stalking protection order against him in November 2025. The petition alleges Schuck forced her to have sexual contact twice and stalked her for months. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the allegations.
Schuck has denied any allegation of criminal conduct. In a January statement, Schuck’s attorney Bradley Koffel said Schuck passed a voluntary polygraph test and “never stalked, threatened, coerced, assaulted, or menaced anyone, and he has never engaged in behavior that could reasonably be construed as criminal.”
In a June 16 email, Koffel said he didn’t have anything to add to prior statements. “It was a brief romance between a Judge and a Prosecutor that was not handled correctly by either party,” he wrote.
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Schuck was originally elected in November 2018 and reelected in November 2024 for a term that ends Dec. 31, 2030.
Ohio law states that the governor will appoint a replacement and then the remainder of the term will be up for election at the next general election.
On March 27, Schuck agreed to a protection order that lasts through November. The order allowed both Schuck and the woman to work at their respective jobs and be in the county courthouse, but forbid Schuck from having any contact with the woman.
The assistant prosecutor submitted a resignation letter in April and left her position in May. The Dispatch does not name victims of alleged sexual assault.
This story was updated to add new information.
Delaware County and eastern Columbus suburbs reporter Maria DeVito can be reached at mdevito@dispatch.com and @mariadevito13.dispatch.com on Bluesky and @MariaDeVito13 on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Delaware County judge retires amid sexual assault, stalking allegations
Reporting by Maria DeVito, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Maria DeVito, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
