A north Georgia judge has resigned after a DUI arrest that came just after she had held hearings, according to a media report.

It is the second time Whitfield County Magistrate Judge Kaye Cope, 60, has been accused of being under the influence of alcohol while on the job, the Dalton Citizen reported.

Cope was pulled over Saturday after jail personnel noticed a strong smell of alcohol on her breath during first-appearance hearings, according to the report.

However, it is not likely that any of the judge’s rulings will be overturned because of the arrest, a legal expert told the paper.

About the Author

Keep Reading

A fire at the Abby Ridge Apartments in southwest Atlanta left families displaced on Thursday morning, Nov. 6, 2025. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Hendren for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Featured

Public Service Commission candidate Peter Hubbard gets a hug from Brionté McCorkle, executive director of Georgia Conservation Voters, during an election-night party in Southwest Atlanta on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.  (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC