Norman Goodman
Who
If the name Norman Goodman makes you uncomfortable, there's a good reason—as the New York County Clerk, his name appears on the more than 6,000 jury summonses that get sent out every week.
Backstory
An NYU Law grad, Goodman spent 17 years in private practice before becoming deputy clerk in 1965 at the age of 41. Four years later, in 1969, he was elevated to the top job. For close to four decades now, he's been responsible for staffing every jury trial in every Manhattan state court (both civil and criminal) and oversees a staff of nearly 200 at 60 Centre Street. It's a lifetime post, which means unless he gets sick, dies, or gets run over by a truck, you'll be seeing his name in your mailbox again soon. ("My signature is supposed to be the most notorious signature in New York," Goodman once boasted.) In the late 1980s, Goodman pondered retirement, and went so far as to hire a deputy clerk so he could groom him to take over. He subsequently decided to stay—and the deputy clerk has been waiting to assume the top job ever since.
Of note
Goodman has faced off against dozens of notable New Yorkers over the years who have tried—usually in vain—to get out of jury duty. Woody Allen once wrote in to say that he'd been so shaken up testifying in his child-custody dispute with Mia Farrow that he couldn't bear to return to a courtroom. (Goodman compelled him to come in anyway, and Allen arrived with his agent, lawyer, and bodyguard.) Goodman was present when both Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg showed up to do their public service. (Giuliani served on a trial, Michael Bloomberg was dismissed). Goodman's office is decorated with photos of the countless celebs who have arrived at the grimy courthouse over the years, including Kevin Bacon, Harvey Keitel, Ralph Lauren, and Julianne Moore. (In most cases, they're been dismissed, although Goodman often ropes them into discussing the importance of jury service in front of visiting schoolchildren.)
As for less famous New Yorkers, rest assured Goodman has heard every excuse under the sun. He says he's seen people hire stand-ins, stage heart attacks, and pretend they're deceased in the hopes of avoiding jury service. Goodman's office has been known to contact doctors about alleged ailments, and when a bond trader was caught paying someone else to serve in his place, the man was sentenced to 500 hours of community service.
Keeping score
When Goodman started in the '60s, he earned $24,000 a year. He now makes $136,000.
Board game
Goodman is an NYU trustee, along with Evan Chesler, Barry Diller, Donald Marron, Ken Langone, Martin Lipton, Henry Silverman, and William Rudin, among others.
Personal
The divorced Goodman lives on East 68th Street.
