Missouri judge loses job after making too many Elvis references
A judge in Missouri has lost his job after he made one too many Elvis Presley references while the court was in session.
According to official court documents shared with NBC, the judge would occasionally wear an Elvis wig while on the bench, especially on or around October 31st. He’d also occasionally play Elvis classics from the speakers of his phone as an attempt at light-hearted humour.
The judge originally insisted that this was in order to help people relax in the court. However, he has since realised that his obsession with The King disturbed the serious nature of the proceedings in court.
Matthew EP Thornhill was the longest-serving circuit judge in St Charles County before he was disciplined for his obsession with the icon.
In a letter explaining his actions, written on November 12th 2025, Judge Thornhill said his aim was “to add levity at times when I thought it would help relax litigants.”
However, he went on, “I now recognise that this could affect the integrity and solemnity of the proceedings.”
According to an inquiry report, the judge would also refer to the singer occasionally during court proceedings. This included topical mentions of his date of birth or death and lyrics from his music, according to the inquiry report. In response, the court was all shook up.
In his written letter, Judge Thornhill did not dispute any of the allegations. He even claimed that they were “substantially accurate”.
Thornhill then confessed he had made a mistake. As such, he agreed politely with the terms set out by the commission, which allowed him to conclude his service on the bench and retire after 20 years.
It appears that Thornhill won’t be out of work for too long, as he has his own election campaign. This also caused a problem in the court, too, as he often promoted it during court hours, asking witnesses, lawyers and litigants if they had seen his “Thornhill for Judge” signs around town.