The Georgia Supreme Court issued a decisive ruling Tuesday, ordering the immediate removal of Douglas County Probate Judge Christina Peterson, an Atlanta-area Democrat, from the bench.
Peterson was recently arrested for battery against a police officer… and that’s not why she was removed.
The court decided to oust her from the bench after a series of ethics charges brought by the state’s Judicial Qualifications Commission. The court’s opinion underscores a “pattern of judicial misconduct” exhibited by Peterson during her short tenure, and it prohibits her from holding any judicial office in Georgia for seven years.
Peterson, 38, won a Democratic primary in summer 2020, and she ran unopposed in the general election in Douglas County, a Democratic stronghold. Her brief four-year tenure has been marred by persistent ethics concerns, culminating in her recent arrest following an altercation at an Atlanta nightclub.
She lost the Democratic primary earlier this year.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission initially filed formal charges against Peterson in September 2021, less than a year into her four-year term. These charges, amended twice, encompassed 50 counts of alleged misconduct.
The Supreme Court’s ruling highlights several nasty instances of Peterson’s conduct. Notably, the panel found her to have unjustifiably held a woman in criminal contempt, imposing the maximum jail sentence “without explanation or justification.”
Additionally, Peterson came under fire for making testy exchanges with people in her homeowners’ association… during her active lawsuit against the very same organization.
The court’s opinion also cites Peterson’s false testimony before the hearing panel as a factor in their decision.
The cumulative effect of these violations, some reflecting a “flagrant disregard for the law, court rules, and judicial conduct rule” led to the conclusion that removal from office was the appropriate sanction. The opinion called her behavior “extremely concerning” and observed a “pattern of violations.”
At the same time these professional misconduct allegations were heading to the Georgia Supreme Court, Peterson faced criminal charges stemming from an incident at an Atlanta nightclub — she was arrested for battery against a police officer and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. Body camera footage released by the police seems to depict Peterson using obscene language and swiping at the officer.
Take a look at the local coverage —
BREAKING
Atlanta's most notorious judge, Christina Peterson, has been removed from the bench by the Georgia Supreme Court
The Judicial Commission found her guilty of 'systemic incompetence.'pic.twitter.com/nRPtFxNIg6
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) June 25, 2024