Crime
Georgia Supreme Court Ousts Judge Peterson for Systemic Incompetence
Clear Facts
- Christina Peterson, Douglas County Probate Judge based in Atlanta, was dismissed from her position by the Georgia Supreme Court due to accusations of “systemic incompetence.”
- A leading allegation against her was Peterson’s questionable ruling to imprison a U.S. citizen who requested a modification in her marriage license, assuming it to be an act of court fraud.
- Adding to the existing misconduct charges, Peterson was also recently apprehended for allegedly assaulting a law enforcement officer at a nightclub in Atlanta.
On Tuesday, the Georgia Supreme Court decided that Judge Christina Peterson from Douglas County should be dismissed from her office due to a series of alleged judicial misconduct, resulting in a guilty verdict by the Judicial Qualifications Commission.
The ruling followed the charges of “systemic incompetence” by the Judicial Qualifications Commission against Peterson, 38, who recommended her dismissal as early as April.
One of the significant misconduct cases that led to this situation involved Peterson’s verdict to jail a U.S. citizen of Thai descent who wanted to alter her marriage license with her biological father’s name. Peterson assumed the woman was trying to mislead the court and imposed a maximum sentence of 20 days in jail, which could be reduced to two days with the payment of a $500 fine.
However, Peterson’s decision was disputed by a panel who believed the woman was “in good faith trying to correct” what they perceived as “an innocent mistake borne out of ignorance rather than ill-intent,” as per court documents. Peterson’s “untruthful” testimony about the case to the panel further emphasized her “conscious wrongdoing.”
Peterson faced 30 counts, and the court determined that 12 of them justified punishment. The court’s verdict stated, “Accordingly, it is ordered that Judge Christina Peterson of the Douglas County Probate Court be removed from office, effective upon the date of this opinion.” The court also mentioned that Peterson would not qualify for election or appointment to any future judicial position in Georgia for seven years.
While handling these allegations, Peterson was involved in another scandal when she was arrested at the Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge for allegedly pushing an Atlanta police officer twice during a confrontation. The Atlanta police released bodycam footage of the incident, noting that the officer was working an approved additional shift at the time.
At a press conference on Friday, Peterson’s lawyer, Marvin Arrington Jr., defended his client, asserting that she was trying to protect a woman who was being assaulted by an unknown man, and therefore, should not have been arrested.
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