Georgia Judge Removed from Office After Arrest and Guilty Verdict in Ethics Charges

Following an ongoing investigation into separate ethics charges, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled to remove Douglas County Probate Judge Christina Peterson from the bench. The decision comes after Peterson was recently arrested for allegedly hitting a police officer outside an Atlanta nightclub.

Ethics Charges and Misconduct

The Judicial Qualifications Commission found Peterson guilty of "systemic incompetence" and recommended her removal in April. The court was particularly troubled by a case where Peterson jailed a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Thailand. The woman sought to amend her marriage license with the name of her real father, but Peterson ruled that the woman was trying to defraud the court. This led to the woman being sentenced to a maximum of 20 days in jail, which was reduced to two days after she paid a $500 fine.

Furthermore, the panel found that the woman was "in good faith trying to correct" what appeared to be "an innocent mistake borne out of ignorance rather than ill-intent." The court documents also revealed that Peterson provided "untruthful" testimony to the panel about the case, underscoring her conscious wrongdoing. Overall, Peterson faced a total of 30 counts, with 12 counts warranting discipline.

The Georgia Supreme Court has ordered the immediate removal of Judge Christina Peterson from the Douglas County Probate Court. The ruling specifies that Peterson will not be eligible to be elected or appointed to any future judicial position in Georgia for seven years.

Arrest for Alleged Battery Against a Police Officer

As the misconduct allegations unfolded, Peterson was arrested at the Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge for allegedly pushing an Atlanta police officer in the chest twice during an altercation. According to Atlanta police, Peterson was uncooperative and refused to give her identity. Bodycam video footage of the incident was released by the police, showing the altercation where the officer was pushed. Peterson’s attorney, Marvin Arrington Jr., defended her actions, stating that she was trying to defend another woman who was being attacked by an unknown man.