Elvis-loving St. Charles County judge forced to retire after dressing like his idol

A St. Charles County judge who traded his black robes for an Elvis jumpsuit is being forced into retirement—and his mania for The King is partly to blame. Disciplinary charges accuse Judge Matthew Thornhill dressing like Elvis Presley in court on Halloween, making Elvis references in court, and even playing Elvis tunes in his courtroom.

As part of an agreement with the state’s Commission on Retirement, Removal, and Discipline, Thornhill will serve a six-month unpaid suspension. After that, he’ll be allowed to return for an 18-month stint, but must retire after that and promise to never seek reelection, a deal that allows him to retire with 20 years of service. Missouri judges who are at least 62 years old and have served 20 years can retire with full benefits. 

Thornhill agreed to the deal while acknowledging his Elvis activity to the commission. “It was my intention in the matters contained in Count I to add levity at times when I thought it would help relax litigants,” he wrote in a November 12 letter. “I now recognize that this could affect the integrity and solemnity of the proceedings.” He did not respond to a voicemail seeking comment yesterday. 

The commission’s charges—which Thornhill acknowledged were “substantially accurate”—included allegations that Thornhill had dressed like Elvis and wore an Elvis wig in court on October 31. He also allegedly “on occasion” allowed litigants to be sworn in using Elvis music played on his phone, played Elvis songs while entering the courtroom and while doing court business there, and made Elvis references in court “when such statements were irrelevant to the proceedings.” 

Those actions, the commission said, violated Supreme Court rules requiring judges to “promote confidence in the integrity of the judiciary,” as well as “maintain order and decorum in proceedings before the court.” 

Additional counts accused Thornhill, a Republican, of making references to his political affiliation and preferred candidates in front of litigants and hand-delivering an affidavit vouching for a party in an adoption case, both of which violate Missouri Supreme Court rules, the commission said. 

Under Missouri’s nonpartisan court plan, judges in the City of St. Louis as well as St. Louis, Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Greene counties are nominated by a judicial commission and then appointed by the governor. They must stand for regular retention votes, but those are not the high-dollar, occasionally tawdry races seen in other states—a system Missouri has long boasted helps attract quality judges.

But fast-growing St. Charles County isn’t part of the non-partisan plan, and judges there run under a party label. Thornhill, whose public Facebook page shows was a busy campaigner, represents that model. Among the allegations against him were claims he’d discussed his party affiliation with litigants and talked about his campaign, even asking one litigant if his union had “warmed up to Thornhill.” He also discussed his preferred candidates with the people appearing before him in court.

In his letter, Thornhill said he made reference to his politics only to put people “at ease while addressing the business of the Court.” He added, “Never did they impact a decision. However, this was a mistake and a failure on my part to maintain proper order and decorum.”

The state commission’s filing in Thornhill’s case included a photo of the judge sitting on the bench in full Elvis regalia, triggering amusement from some local attorneys. Brendan Roediger, an attorney who practices at Khazaeli Wyrsch, quipped to SLM, “Suspicious minds are wondering about the punishment. It’s now or never—either he should be a judge or he shouldn’t.” 

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story referred inaccurately to Missouri’s Commission on Retirement, Removal, and Discipline. It does not fall under the bailiwick of the Missouri Supreme Court. We regret the error.