The former chief judge who presided over DeKalb County Recorder’s Court until the Georgia General Assembly abolished it, has absolute judicial immunity from civil litigation stemming from the defunct court’s troubled operations, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday.

“The United States Supreme Court has long recognized the doctrine of judicial immunity which shields judges from being sued and from being held civilly liable for damages based on federal law as a result of carrying out their judicial duties,” Justice Robert Benham said in the unanimous ruling.