The systematics of the πh 11/2 ⊗ νh 11/2 and πh 11/2 ⊗ νs 1/2 isomeric configurations was studied for the odd-Z N = 77 isotones near the proton drip line. The isomeric decays in 140 Eu, 142 Tb, 144 Ho, and 146 Tm were measured by means of x-ray, γ -ray, and charged particle spectroscopy at the Recoil Mass Spectrometer at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (ORNL). The spin and parity of I π = 8 + and 5 − were deduced for the isomers in 140 Eu and 142 Tb. New decay schemes were established, and the half-lives of the 8 + isomers were measured to be 302(4) ns for 140m2 Eu and 25(1) µs for 142m2 Tb. No evidence for the expected 1 + ground-state was found in the 144 Ho decay data. The proton-emission from 146 Tm was restudied. Five proton transitions were assigned to two proton-emitting states. The half-lives of 198(3) ms and 68(3) ms and the spin and parity values of I π = 10 + and 5 − were established for 146m Tm and 146gs Tm, respectively. For the first time for an odd-odd nucleus, the interpretation of the observed decay properties and structure of the proton-emitting states was made by accounting for deformation and proton and neutron coupling to the core excitations. A complex wave-function structure was obtained, with dominating components of πh 11/2 ⊗ νh 11/2 for the 10 + isomer and πh 11/2 ⊗ νs 1/2 for the 5 − ground state.