Ex-judge Christina J. Peterson, last seen making waves as Douglas County’s probate judge, is now launching a legal fight of her own—this time, targeting the Atlanta police and seeking a sky-high $50 million in damages.
Fresh off being booted from the bench after Georgia’s highest court cited her for chronic misconduct, Peterson is swapping her gavel for legal briefs as she faces her latest battle: a dramatic arrest on the streets of Buckhead in June 2024.
The 40-year-old, undeterred by the scandals swirling around her ouster, is officially going rogue in federal court. Filing the explosive lawsuit without a lawyer, Peterson claims Atlanta police officer Kenneth Wadsworth targeted her outside the buzzy Red Martini nightclub, then subjected her to wrongful arrest and brutality. She alleges Wadsworth didn’t just slap the cuffs on her—he slammed her head-first onto the ground, traumatizing her as dawn broke over the city.
Peterson says the cop’s accusations of felony obstruction didn’t stick—the top charges were ultimately tossed out, while a lesser misdemeanor lingers. Citing the prosecution’s dropped felony case as proof of her innocence, Peterson is pointing the finger at Wadsworth and the city for what she brands as malicious prosecution and abuse of power.
And she’s not letting Officer Wadsworth hide behind his badge. Her lawsuit argues his actions are so outrageous, qualified immunity can’t save him. Quoting the Fourth Amendment and accusing the officer of fabricating evidence, Peterson insists any cop should know that making up criminal accusations is way out of bounds.
Video footage from that fateful night fueled the controversy, splashing across headlines as Peterson was seen in handcuffs at the club, in a police car, and later, inside the Fulton County Jail. Meanwhile, Georgia’s Supreme Court didn’t cut her any slack, yanking her off the court for what they called an egregious disregard for the law.
Despite her tumultuous time in office, Peterson—a longtime Democrat—remains a member in good standing of the Georgia State Bar, with a clean disciplinary record as an attorney. Throughout, she’s claimed the charges against her were exaggerated or invented as the DA’s office cited ‘want of prosecution’ to let the most serious allegations slide—including claims she attacked an officer.
According to Peterson, she wasn’t the aggressor that night at Red Martini. The incident, she insists, began when she saw a man viciously attacking a woman; she says she only intervened to help, never threatening violence herself. Her lawsuit repeats what was heard on the video: that she had no intention of striking Officer Wadsworth. Peterson is adamant that the ordeal cost her her freedom and reputation, and she’s demanding accountability—plus that jaw-dropping $50 million payout—from those she says wronged her.
