NYC court clerk to retire after 45 years on job, 11M jury summonses
Norman Goodman is something of a fan of Frank Sinatra, who performed at his high school prom in 1941, along with Tommy Dorsey’s band.
But he is also acquainted with Madonna, with whom he chatted at length in July while she waited in his office at the imposing New York County Courthouse at 60 Centre Street to see whether she would be required to serve on a jury, the New York Times (reg. req.) reports.
The jury summons for the famous pop singer was one of 11 million to 12 million Goodman has sent out during the 45 years he has served as Manhattan court clerk.
Soon, though, his era there will come to an end: On Dec. 31, which happens to be his 91st birthday, Goodman will retire.
Goodman is responsible for bringing the court’s technology up to a 21st-century standard, among other achievements. But providing a steady supply of jurors to hear court cases and determining which excuses to accept is what he is best known for.
During his decades as clerk, Goodman has called himself for jury duty a number of times.
He had to serve once, in a criminal sexual assault case. He and the other jury members agreed quickly that the defendant was guilty after a several-day trial. But Goodman gave his fellow panelists the benefit of his expertise and suggested they should wait a bit before announcing that they had reached a verdict.
“I said, ‘Wait, let’s not tell the judge—if we wait another 10, 15 minutes, we’ll get lunch,’ ” he told the Times. “So we waited, and they sent lunch.”
