US Judge in Missouri Resigns After Wearing Elvis Wig, Playing Songs

St. Charles County, Missouri – A long-serving judge in Missouri has resigned following disciplinary action over his unusual courtroom behavior involving Elvis Presley. Judge Matthew EP Thornhill, the county’s longest-serving circuit judge, stepped down after facing criticism for wearing an Elvis Presley wig and occasionally playing the singer’s music during court proceedings.

The incidents reportedly occurred over several years. Thornhill, a self-described lifelong Elvis fan, admitted in a letter dated November 12 that he sometimes wore an Elvis wig on or around Halloween and played Elvis songs from his phone to help relax litigants and lighten the courtroom atmosphere. While he said his intentions were to ease tension, the disciplinary commission stated that these actions affected the "integrity and solemnity of the proceedings."

According to the disciplinary report, Judge Thornhill occasionally made references to Elvis’ life, including mentioning his birth, death, or lyrics from his songs during official court business. Images provided in the report show Thornhill seated on the bench wearing a black Elvis wig, sunglasses, and even using music during oaths.

The report also cited unrelated conduct, such as promoting his political affiliations from the bench and asking witnesses, lawyers, and litigants if they had seen his campaign signs for re-election. The commission concluded that Thornhill “failed to maintain order and decorum in the courtroom” and recommended a six-month suspension without pay, followed by an 18-month probation period before retirement.

In his resignation letter, Thornhill did not dispute the allegations and admitted they were "substantially accurate." He agreed to the terms set by the commission, allowing him to retire after 20 years of service on the bench.

Thornhill is well known for his lifelong admiration of Elvis Presley. He has visited Graceland, the singer’s home and burial site, 13 times and has openly shared that Elvis has influenced him since childhood. Despite his intentions to add levity, the Missouri court system deemed his actions inappropriate for the formal setting of a courtroom.