Georgia judge jokingly bans Elf on the Shelf during the holiday season

MARIETTA, Ga. — All parents, or at least most of them, can rejoice now that a Georgia judge has banned Elf on the Shelf this holiday season in a fake ruling.

Cobb County Superior Court Chief Judge Robert Leonard made the mock order Thursday as his "gift to tired parents."

In the order, Leonard jokingly wrote that the Elves are a distraction to school students and a "risk to the emotional health and well-being" of children.

"When these Elves do not move, it leaves our children of tender years in states of extreme emotional distress," the order reads.

Leonard even shared a personal memory as a reason for the banishment.

"The undersigned recalls a horrific incident in his own home where three children were sent to school in tears, with one child being labeled an 'Elf Murderer' and accused of making the elf 'lose his magic.'"

While the order only applies to Cobb County, Leonard believes his act was born out of necessity.

"Tired of living in Elf on the Shelf tyranny? Not looking forward to the Elf forgetting to move and causing your kids emotional distress? I am a public servant and will take the heat for you," tweeted Leonard.

The Elf banning comes the same week an Ohio police department warned residents about putting up Christmas lights too early.

This story was originally published by Jeff Tavss at KSTU.