Judiciary
Elvis Has Left the Courthouse: Presley-loving judge ousted by state supreme court
Missouri Judge Matthew E.P. Thornhill’s days of impersonating Elvis Presley in the courtroom are over. (Image from the Missouri Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges)
A Missouri judge known for dressing up as Elvis Presley in the courtroom has been removed from office by the Missouri Supreme Court, ending a nearly two-decade judicial career amid concerns that his behavior undermined the integrity of the judiciary.
The decision last month by the state’s highest court was a rejection of a previously negotiated disciplinary agreement. The state supreme court ordered Judge Matthew E.P. Thornhill, a St. Charles County, Missouri, judge, off the bench effective immediately, Legal Newsline reports.
The state supreme court’s decision was the culmination of a disciplinary process triggered by Thornhill’s unconventional courtroom antics, which included wearing an Elvis Presley wig during proceedings and making frequent and irrelevant references to the late rock ’n’ roll legend. He was known to also play Presley’s music from his phone, even during the swearing-in of litigants, according to Legal Newsline.
The Missouri Times reported that the Missouri Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges labeled the behavior “Elvis Presley-related conduct,” concluding that it eroded public confidence in the judiciary’s seriousness and impartiality.
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Courthouse rock, political talk lead to potential suspension for Elvis-loving judge
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