On Thursday, November 6, 2025, Pennsylvania’s Court of Judicial Discipline suspended Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Scott DiClaudio without pay, amidst ongoing ethics cases against him. The court issued the suspension orders in response to two separate ethics cases, marking a culmination of nearly four years of ethical concerns surrounding DiClaudio.

In September, the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board (JCB) filed formal charges against DiClaudio. These charges stemmed from allegations that he attempted to influence a criminal proceeding due to his connection with both the defendant, Dwayne Jones, and Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill.

The September complaint detailed an incident where DiClaudio allegedly approached Common Pleas Judge Zachary Shaffer to discuss the sentencing of Jones, who had pleaded guilty before Shaffer. Following a brief meeting with Shaffer and his law clerk, DiClaudio purportedly asked the clerk to leave so he could speak privately with Shaffer. During this conversation, DiClaudio allegedly handed Shaffer a note that read, “I’ve heard you might do the right thing anyway.” The JCB asserted that Jones and DiClaudio shared a mutual acquaintance in Meek Mill. The complaint included six counts against DiClaudio, citing four judicial violations and two constitutional violations.

Prior to the September charges, DiClaudio faced another disciplinary complaint in April, also filed by the JCB. This complaint addressed his involvement with his wife’s cheesesteak business, Shay’s Steaks. The JCB argued that DiClaudio’s actions undermined public confidence in the judiciary and constituted using his position as a judge for personal gain.

According to the April complaint, DiClaudio admitted to informing customers that he was a judge. When Shay’s Steaks opened in March 2024, media coverage highlighted DiClaudio’s role as a Philadelphia judge and his significant involvement with the restaurant. The JCB alleged that this conduct violated judicial conduct rules.

Notably, both alleged judicial violations from 2025 occurred during DiClaudio’s probationary period, which began in 2021 following a two-week suspension without pay. The probation, set to continue through January 2026, resulted from a previous finding by the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline. The court had determined that DiClaudio failed to disclose debt on his financial disclosure papers and failed to comply with court orders in a lawsuit filed against him by The Cynwyd Club between 2015 and 2019.

DiClaudio, who serves in the criminal trial division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, was elected to the bench in 2015 and was up for retention in the 2025 municipal election.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.