U.S. District Court Judge Mark Fuller was recently arrested and detained in an Atlanta jail resulting from an allegation of domestic violence raised by his wife. A CNN article reports that local police received a 911 call after 10pm on August 9 from the Ritz-Carlton hotel regarding an alleged assault. The caller stated that she was assaulted by her husband, Judge Fuller. The caller was treated on-site by EMTs.

The federal judge faces a criminal misdemeanor charge of battery resulting from domestic violence. After police responded to the hotel room, Judge Fuller was transported to a county jail, where he spent the night. While at the county jail, the federal judge appeared before a Chief Magistrate Judge by video conference for a bond hearing. The chief magistrate granted a signature bond of $5,000, which the federal judge posted later that same day.

From the details reported in the CNN article, it appears that Judge Fuller underwent the same process most suspects of a domestic violence will face after a 911 call from the victim. When officers appear on site, they will generally immediately separate the suspect from the victim, and question both parties with regard to the incident leading to the 911 call. In Massachusetts domestic assault charge, officers must make an arrest when dispatched to a domestic call.

In the case of Judge Fuller, because the incident occurred late into the night, a bond hearing was not conducted until later that morning. In Massachusetts, a clerk magistrate will typically set bail if a defendant cannot be taken to court immediately. At the arraignment, a judge can review the issue of bail. Once bail is issued, the defendant has an opportunity to post bail in order to be released. The defendant will then be given another court date on which he will need to appear.