On Monday, October 7, 2024, the New Jersey Supreme Court suspended Superior Court Judge Gary N. Wilcox for three months without pay due to his involvement in posting explicit TikTok videos. The suspension follows an investigation into approximately 40 videos that the judge shared on the social media platform, many of which featured inappropriate language and depicted questionable conduct.
The court’s decision came in response to complaints regarding Wilcox’s use of TikTok under the pseudonym “Sal Tortorella.” The videos included various forms of explicit content, profanity, sexual references, and derogatory remarks, which raised serious concerns about his conduct as a judge. Some of the videos were filmed while he donned his judicial robe in court chambers, while others showed him in a less formal setting, partially undressed in his bed.
In a formal complaint submitted by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct, it was alleged that Wilcox’s videos demonstrated poor judgment and disrespect for the judiciary, undermining the integrity expected of someone in his position. The complaint noted specific instances where the judge lip-synced to songs with explicit lyrics, including music that referenced criminal activity and violence. One notable video featured Wilcox in a “Beavis and Butt-Head” T-shirt walking through the Bergen County courthouse, with the song “Get Down” by Nas playing in the background. The lyrics of this song were described as containing explicit references to a courtroom shooting and derogatory terms.
In his defense, Wilcox claimed he was unaware that the videos would be publicly accessible, arguing that many of the clips had been taken out of context. His attorney, Gary Wille, emphasized that the judge did not intend to bring disrepute to the judiciary, asserting that none of the videos related to any ongoing cases or judicial duties. Wilcox requested that any disciplinary action be limited to an admonishment instead of a suspension.
Despite these arguments, the New Jersey Supreme Court found that Wilcox’s conduct violated multiple judicial canons. The canons require judges to uphold high standards of conduct and to avoid any appearance of impropriety, ensuring public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary.
The suspension will be effective immediately, with Wilcox eligible to return to his judicial duties on January 8, 2025.
Wilcox, who graduated from Harvard Law School and previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, was appointed to the bench by former Governor Chris Christie in 2011 and received tenure in 2018. He is assigned to the criminal court division in Bergen County.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
