Christina Peterson Removed

Christina Peterson, sworn in as Douglas County, Georgia's Probate Judge in December 2020, was removed from office by order of the Georgia Supreme Court on June 25, 2024, and barred from holding any elected or appointed judicial position in the state for seven years. The Judicial Qualifications Commission had filed formal misconduct charges against Peterson less than a year into her four-year term, ultimately amending the complaint to 50 total counts; the Supreme Court found 12 of those counts warranted discipline.

Among the sustained findings: in 2021, Peterson jailed a woman who had come to her court to amend a marriage license application, holding her in contempt "without explanation or justification" and sentencing her to the maximum 20 days (with an option to serve just 2 days if she paid a $500 fine). The Court also found Peterson misused a panic button to summon court staff when there was no actual emergency, among a broader pattern of misconduct in office.