A court in Missouri has been left unsettled after a judge resigned following disciplinary action for wearing an Elvis Presley wig and at times playing the singer’s music during hearings.
Matthew EP Thornhill, the longest-serving circuit judge in St Charles County, openly described himself as an Elvis enthusiast. His fondness for the performer, however, led to a formal complaint as investigators said he often made «irrelevant» references to Elvis while on the bench.
In a letter to the Missouri Supreme Court dated November 12, Judge Thornhill said he had tried to «add levity at times when I thought it would help relax litigants» but accepted that this risked undermining the seriousness of proceedings.
A report by Missouri’s Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges found that he regularly wore an Elvis wig in court around Halloween while continuing to conduct official business. Images in the report show him on the bench with the wig, styled in a black pompadour, along with sunglasses.
The inquiry also said he sometimes allowed litigants or witnesses to be sworn in while Elvis songs played from his phone. He reportedly worked in occasional mentions of Elvis’s life and lyrics during hearings.
A Judge’s Lifelong Love of the King
Judge Thornhill’s affection for Elvis is well known. He previously said in a local interview that he had visited Graceland 13 times and had admired the singer since childhood.
The misconduct report also highlighted unrelated behaviour, including discussing his political preferences in court and promoting his election campaign by asking people if they had noticed his «Thornhill for Judge» signs.
The commission concluded that he had not maintained proper order or decorum and recommended a six-month suspension without pay followed by 18 months of service ahead of retirement.
In his letter, Judge Thornhill accepted the findings, agreed with the commission’s recommendations, and chose to retire after two decades on the bench.
