The Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court was rocked by big news on Thursday afternoon when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that Chief Judge Meng Lim was arrested on a misdemeanor charge.

According to the GBI’s press release, the charges stem from a February incident that was reported to the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office by phone, and they turned the investigation over to the state.

Here’s the full release:

On Thursday, July 02, 2020, the GBI arrested Superior Court Judge Meng Lim and charged him with one misdemeanor count of battery under the Georgia Family Violence Act.  Judge Lim is the Chief Superior Court Judge of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit in the Seventh Superior Court District of Georgia.

On Tuesday, February 18, 2020, the GBI was requested by the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an investigation into an allegation of physical domestic abuse involving Judge Lim. 

During the course of the investigation, it was determined that on Monday evening, February 17, 2020, the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office received a telephone call concerning an allegation of physical domestic abuse involving Judge Lim. The investigation also indicated that on Sunday, February 16, 2020, Judge Lim’s wife contacted a friend, who lives in Bremerton, Washington, and told her about being hit multiple times by Judge Lim during an argument. Judge Lim’s wife also sent her friend pictures of her face showing bruising and scratching. The argument reportedly started after Judge Lim became upset about his stepson being on his cell phone playing games and not completing his chores. The incident, which took place at Judge Lim’s residence, also involved another minor child who lives in the residence.

The GBI investigation has been completed. The case file has been submitted to the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution. 

Lim, the first ever Asian American judge to be elected in the state of Georgia, first began his term on the Superior Court bench in January 2015, is in his second term in office and became the Chief Judge when Judge Michael Murphy stepped down to retire.