DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio — A former Ohio attorney currently serving a 4.5-year prison sentence has submitted a motion for judicial release in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, pointing to newly uncovered text messages exchanged between Judge James Schuck and a prosecutor involved in the case.
In August 2025, Judge Schuck handed down the maximum sentence to former attorney Adam Stone for telecommunications fraud and attempted impersonation of a peace officer.
Stone used his role as an attorney to defraud clients who had hired him to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit after their son’s death.
According to a motion for judicial release filed on April 20, Michael Stahl, Stone’s attorney, wrote, “Mr. Stone has learned via a disclosure from the prosecutor’s office that there is written evidence in the form of text messages that indicate improper communications between the sentencing judge and a former member of the Delaware County prosecutor’s office who was, in fact, assigned to Mr. Stone’s case at the time of sentencing.”
The attorney alleged that the messages were sent as late as 3:30 a.m. on the morning of the sentencing and continued even after the sentencing concluded.
According to the document, the messages included “derogatory comments” about Stone, his defense counsel, and the elected prosecutor.
The attorney wrote, “Mr. Stone is concerned about the sentencing judge’s behavior, and its impact upon his sentence.”
Schuck’s attorney provided 10TV with the following statement in response to the matter:
“As counsel for Judge James P. Schuck, I have personally reviewed every text message between the former prosecutor and Judge Schuck. There is nothing in those communications that in any way compromises the integrity of this case or the sentence that was imposed.
“What is apparent is that Mr. Stone’s new counsel does not want the pending motion for judicial release decided by Judge Schuck. That is a strategic litigation choice they are entitled to make — but it should be recognized for what it is.
Judge Schuck has no comment on this matter. As he would with any pending case, he will speak only through the record.”
Judge Schuck has remained on voluntary leave since November after the prosecutor’s office said it was investigating an improper relationship between him and an assistant prosecutor.
The assistant prosecutor announced her resignation earlier this month.
we reached out to Judge Schuck’s attorney for comment. Delaware County has not announced a date for his possible return to the bench.
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