In a recent ruling, the Georgia Supreme Court has decided to remove Douglas County Probate Judge Christina Peterson from her position, citing "judicial misconduct" and a separate ongoing investigation into ethics charges. The decision comes after the Judicial Qualifications Commission found Peterson guilty of "systemic incompetence" and recommended her removal in April.

One of the key misconduct cases that raised concerns involved Peterson's decision to imprison a naturalized U.S. citizen, who was born in Thailand, after the woman attempted to amend her marriage license by including her biological father's name. Peterson deemed this an act of fraud, leading to a maximum jail sentence of 20 days for the woman, which she served for only two days after paying a $500 fine.

However, court documents revealed that the woman had made an innocent mistake due to ignorance, rather than any ill-intent. The panel investigating Peterson's conduct found her testimony to be untruthful regarding the case, emphasizing her conscious wrongdoing. This case was one of the 30 counts brought against Peterson, of which 12 were determined to warrant disciplinary action.

Consequently, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Judge Christina Peterson should be removed from office effectively immediately. The court also stipulated that Peterson would not be eligible for election or appointment to any future judicial position in Georgia for a period of seven years.

While dealing with the misconduct allegations, Peterson was arrested at the Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge in Atlanta. She was accused of pushing an Atlanta police officer in the chest twice during an altercation. Atlanta police released bodycam footage of the incident, stating that the officer was working an approved extra job at the time.

During a press conference, Peterson's attorney, Marvin Arrington Jr., argued that his client was attempting to defend a woman who was being attacked by an unidentified man and should not have been arrested.

The removal of Judge Christina Peterson highlights the importance of maintaining ethical standards within the judicial system. The decision made by the Georgia Supreme Court aims to uphold the integrity and credibility of the judiciary while ensuring fair and just proceedings for all individuals involved.