Update: Magistrate Judge Arrested
NewsChannel 9 has confirmed that Catoosa County Magistrate Judge Anthony Peters has been arrested and is off the job, but has not been fired.
Just before 9:00 this evening, NewsChannel 9 spoke with Peters' boss. Chief Magistrate Judge Donald "Sonny" Caldwell said, "No he was not fired, he has been put on administrative leave with pay. That is all I can say at this time."
As of this update, Anthony E. Peters is still listed on the Council of Magistrate Court Judges website.
A law enforcement source informs NewsChannel 9 Peters was arrested this afternoon for trespassing and is out of jail.
NewsChannel 9 has been working on this story for the last couple of weeks, but information has not been forthcoming because of parallel investigations underway.
Our crew stopped in at the Magistrate's Office earlier today, but it was closed during the lunch hour. Peters' arrest happened this afternoon, but sources close to the situation say the trespass charge may be dropped. However, he is under investigation for other reasons.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission has jurisidiction over the following positions: All active Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges, Superior Court judges, State Court judges, Probate judges, Magistrate judges, Municipal Court judges, Judges pro tempore, and all other state judges or state officers exercising judicial authority, except coroners.
According to the Administrative Office of the Courts of Georgia, "Most chief magistrates are elected in partisan, countywide elections to four-year terms. The chief magistrate may be appointed, if so provided by local legislation. Terms for other magistrate judges run concurrently with that of the chief magistrate who appointed them. To qualify as a magistrate, an individual must reside in the county for at least one year preceding his or her term of office, be 25 years of age, and have a high school diploma or its equivalent. A magistrate court judge may also serve as a judge of another limited jurisdiction court in the same county."
NewsChannel 9 expects to have more details on this story as it develops.
