Atlanta judge arrested for allegedly hitting police officer

Judge Christina J. Peterson is charged with a crime after she was arrested in a northern Atlanta Nightclub. According to a report by Fox 5The Douglas County judge is said to have punched an officer in the head at the Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge early Thursday morning.

Peterson, 38, “appeared to be under the influence” and refused to show her identification, which led to her arrest. She is charged with willful obstruction of law enforcement officers by threats or violence and assault on a police officer. She was released Thursday afternoon on $5,000 bail, according to Fulton County Prison records.

In several Instagram posts, Peterson called her arrest a “trap” and stressed that she was “trying to help a woman who was being attacked by men” when she accidentally hit the officer. Peterson claims she suffered “bruises, (a) black eye (and) a swollen knee” as a result of the incident. Two witnesses have come to Peterson’s defense.

“Wow. They will stop at nothing to tarnish my reputation,” Peterson wrote on Instagram.

In her role as probate judge, Peterson handles personal documents such as marriage licenses and wills that don’t normally attract media attention. However, Peterson has made headlines several times since her election to office.

She was the first black woman to be elected as Douglas County Probate Judge in 2020. Since then, Peterson has been accused of a total of 50 cases of ethical misconduct, 20 of which dismissed. These allegations include abusive behavior toward county staff and obstructing access to public records. Peterson is also one of the highest-paid judges in Georgia, which has puzzled the investigating judges.

The Judicial Qualifications Commission investigates the judge unanimously recommended her impeachment on the grounds that she demonstrated “systematic judicial incompetence” and a disregard for the law. During the 2023 hearing, an emotional Peterson took the witness stand and said, “I was never celebrated or congratulated” for making history as the first black probate judge in Douglas County.

Since these allegations, Peterson’s approval rating has dropped, leading her to be voted out of office in a recent Area code in Georgia.

Just weeks before the alleged nightclub robbery, incumbent Peterson lost to attorney Valerie Vie of Douglasville, Georgia, in the Primary elections on May 21As the new Democratic candidate, Vie is expected to be the only name on the ballot in November.

The Georgia Supreme Court has yet to decide whether Peterson should remain in office until the end of her term this year.