On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, WTVC NewsChannel 9 reported that a second judge has recused himself from a case involving former Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy.
According to court documents, Twelfth Judicial District Court Judge Justin C. Angel recused himself from the case. The documents indicate that Judge Angel’s wife is an Assistant District Attorney within the Hamilton County District Attorney’s office as of January 2026.
The Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office had previously recused itself from the case and is not involved. Documents state that the recusal is “out of an abundance of caution with extreme hesitancy to avoid the potential for appearance of impropriety.”
Judge Boyd Patterson had also recused himself from Murphy’s case in December.
In 2024, Celeste Murphy was indicted on 17 felony and misdemeanor charges. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) stated that agents determined Murphy “knowingly entered false information on several government documents related to establishing residency in Chattanooga, though swearing to their truth in signing the documents.”
Court records indicate that the next hearing for the case is scheduled for February 20th.
Source: WTVC NewsChannel 9
