(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) An embattled Democrat judge in Georgia has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer and refusing to identify herself at an Atlanta nightclub.
Douglas County Probate Judge Christina J. Peterson faces charges of battery and felony obstruction after allegedly striking an officer on the head early Thursday morning, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Peterson was booked into Fulton County Jail with her bond set at $5,000. The incident occurred at the Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge on Peachtree Road, according to Newsweek.
BREAKING: Metro Atlanta judge Judge Christina Peterson arrested and faces felony charges.
Douglas County Probate Judge Christina J. Peterson was arrested at a Buckhead nightclub early Thursday and charged with battery and felony obstruction, accused of striking an officer on… pic.twitter.com/s7ZmDAgpiZ
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) June 20, 2024
This arrest comes amid a damning investigation into Peterson’s judicial misconduct.
The Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission found her guilty of “systemic incompetence,” unanimously voting on 30 counts of misconduct in April.
The commission determined that Peterson had violated courthouse rules, mistreated her staff and made inappropriate social media posts.
One notable abuse involved the arrest of a woman who came to the courthouse to change her name on her marriage certificate.
After an unspecified dispute, Peterson ordered the woman to serve 20 days in state prison. The woman was released two days later after her husband paid the fine, reported Newsweek.
“Such a hasty and shockingly disproportionate reaction is the hallmark of [Peterson’s] intemperance,” the commission wrote, according to Newsweek.
Additionally, Peterson was criticized for allowing a wedding to take place after business hours and for unnecessarily pressing a panic button.
In response to the allegations, Peterson complained about not receiving recognition as a Black woman and a Democrat.
“I’m the first African American female judge who was a Democrat,” she claimed. “I was never celebrated or congratulated.”