US judge resigns after being disciplined for wearing Elvis Presley wig in court

A Missouri court was shocked after a judge was disciplined for wearing an Elvis Presley wig in court and occasionally playing Elvis Presley songs during proceedings.

Matthew EP Thornhill is St. Charles County’s longest-serving circuit judge and a self-described Elvis lover, according to his biography page.

But his devotion to the King of Rock and Roll led to a disciplinary committee suspending him for making frequent references to “irrelevant” Elvis in court.

In a letter explaining his actions, Judge Thornhill said his aim was to “add some levity at a time which I thought would help put litigants at ease”.

“I now recognize that this may affect the fairness and seriousness of the proceedings,” Judge Thornhill wrote in a Nov. 12 letter to the Missouri Supreme Court.

According to a report by the Missouri Judge Retirement, Removal and Discipline Commission, which investigates allegations of judicial misconduct, Judge Thornhill “typically wears an Elvis Presley wig when conducting court business in the courtroom around October 31, which is Halloween.”

Reports show the judge sat on the bench wearing an Elvis Presley wig, his signature black pompadour haircut and sunglasses.

It added that on occasion, Judge Thornhill would let litigants or witnesses choose to be sworn in while Elvis music was played on their mobile phones.

He also made occasional references to the singer during court proceedings, including references to his birth or death dates and lyrics from his music, according to investigative reports.

Judge Thornhill’s love for all things Elvis is well-documented.

Last year, he told local media that he had visited Graceland, where the singer lives and is buried, 13 times.

He added that Elvis has been on his mind since he was a child.

The disciplinary report also cited unrelated conduct, such as sharing his political affiliation or preferred write-in candidate in the election, and promoting his own campaign by asking witnesses, attorneys and litigants if they had seen his “Judge Thornhill” sign around town.

The committee found Judge Cornhill had “failed to maintain order and decorum in the courtroom” and recommended he take a six-month suspension of pay and then serve a further 18 months before retiring.

In his Nov. 12 letter, Judge Thornhill did not dispute any of the allegations, calling them “substantially accurate” and admitting he had made a mistake.

He agreed to terms set by the committee, which enabled him to end his service on the bench and retire after 20 years.