On Thursday, November 6, 2025, the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline ordered the immediate suspension without pay of Bradford County Magisterial District Judge Jonathan M. Wilcox. This action follows allegations of misconduct detailed in a complaint filed by the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board on October 10, 2025.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Judge Jonathan M. Wilcox,” with case number 3 JD 2025.
The allegations against Judge Wilcox stem from an inappropriate relationship with a defendant involved in a harassment case within his jurisdiction.
The Judicial Conduct Board’s 135-page complaint includes 91 pages of text messages allegedly exchanged between Judge Wilcox and the defendant. The defendant’s initial interaction with Judge Wilcox occurred while discussing the harassment charges she was facing. Her husband was also charged with harassment related to the same incident.
According to the complaint, Judge Wilcox initiated personal disclosures through text messages and subsequently arranged to meet the defendant for coffee. Over an eight-day period, spanning from January 23 to January 29, Judge Wilcox reportedly referred to the defendant as his “soul mate” and repeatedly expressed his desire for a serious relationship with her. The text messaging reportedly ended after the defendant disclosed the nature of their developing relationship to her therapist.
The Judicial Conduct Board asserts that Judge Wilcox’s actions constitute violations of the Rules Governing Standards of Conduct of Magisterial District Judges and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In addition to the complaint, the board submitted a petition for interim suspension without pay, which was under consideration before the recent order from the Court of Judicial Discipline.
Judge Wilcox has served as a judge in Bradford County since 2000. Prior to his suspension, he began an indefinite leave of absence in August, according to a report by The Daily Review.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
