Judge Allegedly Assaults Police Officer, Faces Felony Assault Charges

A Douglas County probate court judge has found herself facing felony charges after being arrested in Atlanta. Christina Peterson was taken to jail on June 20.

According to county Jail records, Peterson is currently facing a myriad of charges , including felony obstruction of a police officer by using threats or violence and simple battery against a police officer.

According to FOX 5 , which obtained an Atlanta Police report, an officer was allegedly assaulted while working at the Peachtree Road Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge. The report stated that the officer went to speak with a woman who looked to be upset and crying in the valet area of the restaurant and lounge in the early morning hours. However, after the Atlanta officer approached Peterson, he said he was reportedly struck in the head by her.

Peterson “appeared to be under the influence” and repeatedly refused to identify herself to the arresting officer, according to court records. Even after the Douglas County Probate Court Judge was brought into jail, Peterson didn’t tell officers her name. She only revealed her identity after telling the arresting officers to notify a different officer to come and receive her statement.

Peterson also waived her first appearance in front of the Fulton County Magistrate Court on Jun 20.

This is not the first time Peterson has found herself in hot water. Back in April, Peterson was investigated and subsequently found guilty of “systemic incompetence” by a Judicial Qualifications Commission panel. The panel recommended that she be removed from office for her behavior.

After facing 30 separate counts of misconduct, the panel determined Peterson consistently ignored the rules of the courthouse and “abused courthouse personnel, made inappropriate posts on social media and, in repeated cases, failed to do her job.”

Before her Judicial Qualifications Commission panel investigation, Peterson was additionally the “subject of several FOX 5 I-Team investigations” after she took her position in late 2020.

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