James P. Schuck was sworn in a judge of the general division of the Delaware County Common Pleas Court Friday afternoon and donned his black robes for the first time.
Schuck ran unopposed in November and will replace Judge Everett H. Krueger, who is retiring on Dec. 31.
At his investiture ceremony Friday, Schuck said he has “big shoes” to fill by replacing Krueger, who has held the position since 1995.
“How do you follow a guy who has been so successful and doing it for 35 years?” Schuck said.
Schuck added when he attended a conference for new judges last week, he was met with looks of pity when he told people he’d be replacing Krueger. “They all knew Judge Krueger and knew the big shoes I had to fill. He has meant so much to this court and to the citizens of Delaware County. On behalf of the citizen’s of Delaware County, thank you for your years of service.”
Schuck thanked everyone in attendance and asked everyone to pray for him as he begins his judgeship.
“This is a big job,” Schuck said. “The closer I get to it the bigger it gets. I would just ask for your prayers for wisdom and guidance, and patience in this job.”
Schuck thanked the common pleas court staff, and said he can’t wait to work with them. He also thanked his family for their support.
Schuck is originally from Findlay and moved to Delaware in 2001. He said before his investiture that he became an attorney, partially because his family is filled with attorneys and elected officials.
“Politics and law are in my family,” Schuck said.
Schuck added he worked as a law clerk for a federal judge in the Southern District of Ohio District Court.
“I really enjoyed that experience and saw the work the court did and how it impacted people’s lives,” Schuck said. “That’s how the seed got planted. “
Schuck has spent the past four years chairing the Delaware County Republican Party and has worked as an attorney at Bricker & Eckler LLP in Columbus for the past 17 years.
Schuck said he’s excited to take the judgeship and said it’s “a new challenge.”
“It’s a new challenge for me, having to tackle things I haven’t necessarily done in the past,” he said. “I’m excited to make a difference in the county.”
Schuck said he understands how important the job is, and he was a little nervous to start.
“I don’t know that you ever start a job like this with this kind of responsibility without a little bit of nervousness,” Schuck said. “I’m going to work really hard, and I’m going to do the best job that I can. I think this is an important job to the people of Delaware, and I’m going to certainly study and work hard.”
Schuck officially begins on Jan. 1 and was sworn in by Judge Krueger at the ceremony on Friday.
