Magistrate Judge Anthony Peters listens during an April hearing where the state sought to remove him from bench for erratic behavior. The Tuesday Georgia Supreme Court's unanimous opinion barred Peters from ever holding another judicial office in Georgia.A former Georgia judge who was disbarred for smoking pot has filed a lawsuit against his supervisor and the sheriff, claiming they conspired to destroy his career.
Anthony Peters, who filed the federal lawsuit in North Georgia, claims his boss, former Catoosa County Chief Magistrate Donald "Sonny" Caldwell, tried to demote him after learning he planned to run for chief magistrate, then devised a plan with Sheriff Phil Summers to interfere with his political ambitions.
In 2010, Caldwell told Peters that he was being changed to a 3-to-11 p.m. shift, typically the responsibility of an on-call judge, then ordered Peters to leave the courthouse and had him arrested when he refused, the lawsuit states.
"They conspired to put him out of office," said Peters' attorney James Satcher Jr.
After the incident, Peters wasn't allowed to return to work.
In 2011, Peters was disbarred by the Georgia Supreme Court after an investigation by the state Judicial Qualifications Commission and a two-day hearing proved he had smoked pot, pointed a gun at himself in the courthouse and had other violations.
Summers wasn't available for comment.
For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.