A Missouri judge famous for wearing an Elvis Presley wig in his courtroom and playing the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s music during proceedings has agreed to a deal that will end his judicial career prematurely.
Judge Matthew Thornhill, serving in suburban St. Louis, faces a six-month unpaid suspension under the agreement with a state disciplinary board. Following the suspension, Thornhill will continue on the bench for 18 more months before resigning from the St. Charles County Circuit Court.
The agreement, reached in October 2025, is pending approval by the Missouri Supreme Court. The court recently allowed 35 letters supporting Thornhill’s character to be submitted.
Thornhill defended his actions, saying he intended “to add levity at times when I thought it would help relax litigants.” However, he acknowledged that such behavior could compromise the “integrity and solemnity of the proceedings.”
Court records show that Thornhill routinely wore the Elvis wig, especially around Halloween, and gave witnesses unique swearing-in options, including playing Elvis music from his phone. He sometimes even played songs while entering the courtroom.
The judge, the longest-serving in St. Charles County, previously served as an assistant prosecutor and was elected an associate circuit judge in 2006, becoming a full circuit judge in 2024. His primary focus has been family court.
Thornhill has faced past disciplinary actions. In 2008, he was reprimanded and fined for allegedly reducing charges against a woman in exchange for a signed baseball, which he claimed was fake. In the latest case, he was also criticized for discussing political preferences from the bench and for offering a character letter in an adoption case, which the commission deemed an abuse of his position.
Despite these controversies, Thornhill’s colorful courtroom antics, including posing for photos in a plastic Elvis wig and sunglasses, have drawn national attention, highlighting the balance between judicial decorum and personal expression.
