On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline ordered Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Scott DiClaudio and the Judicial Conduct Board to submit lists of witnesses and offers of proof for each witness’s proposed testimony by September 29, 2025.
The order pertains to the hearing regarding the petition for interim suspension without pay for Judge DiClaudio. The hearing is scheduled for October 6, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in the Bowman En Banc Courtroom, located on the 5th Floor of the Pennsylvania Judicial Center in Harrisburg.
The upcoming hearing follows formal charges filed against Judge DiClaudio by the Board on September 9, 2025. In addition to the new charges, the board has petitioned for DiClaudio’s suspension without pay and the revocation of his probation from a prior disciplinary case. The charges accuse him of multiple violations of the state’s Code of Judicial Conduct and the Pennsylvania Constitution.
The accusations stem from an incident that allegedly occurred on June 12, 2025, in Judge DiClaudio’s chambers. According to court documents, Judge Zachary Shaffer and a law clerk visited DiClaudio, where they purchased T-shirts promoting Shay’s Steaks, a cheesesteak restaurant owned by DiClaudio’s wife. Following the purchase, DiClaudio allegedly asked the clerk to leave and then handed Shaffer a note containing a courtroom number and the name Dwayne Jones, who was awaiting sentencing before Shaffer.
DiClaudio reportedly told Shaffer, “I’ve heard you might do the right thing anyway,” before destroying the note. Jones had already pleaded guilty and was awaiting sentencing. Shaffer reported the incident to court administrators and subsequently recused himself from the case. Following the complaint, Administrative Judge Daniel Anders restricted DiClaudio’s responsibilities to writing appellate opinions, effectively limiting his courtroom duties. Dwayne Jones is reportedly a social acquaintance of rapper Meek Mill.
The Judicial Conduct Board has charged DiClaudio with six counts, including failing to uphold public confidence in the judiciary, allowing personal relationships to influence his conduct, and making statements that could potentially affect a pending case. Potential sanctions range from a formal censure to removal from his position if the charges are substantiated.
Judge DiClaudio was already serving probation from a 2019 case involving unpaid debts and tax liens, which had resulted in a prior suspension without pay. In that instance, he was found to have failed to disclose debt on his financial disclosure forms and disobeyed court orders, leading to multiple contempt citations.
Furthermore, DiClaudio faced ethics violations last year related to his involvement with Shay’s Steaks. The complaint alleged that he violated a rule prohibiting judges from abusing their position to advance personal or economic interests. DiClaudio has dismissed the ethics complaint as a “farce” and denied using his judicial position to promote the restaurant. He stated that customers do not visit Shay’s because a judge might be making their cheesesteak.
However, the board’s complaint highlighted that media coverage of the restaurant has consistently emphasized DiClaudio’s role as a judge, particularly in Philadelphia, where cheesesteaks are a significant point of public interest. One report even referred to him as “whiz honor,” a play on the use of Cheez Whiz on some cheesesteaks. The board contends that these new allegations, combined with his previous record, erode public trust in the judiciary.
The Court of Judicial Discipline will determine the validity of the charges and, if proven, decide the appropriate penalty. The board has the burden of proving the charges by clear and convincing evidence, and DiClaudio is presumed innocent throughout the proceedings.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
