Cute . . . Until He Had To Recuse Himself When Attorneys From Shavitz & Shavitz Argued Before Him

How performing one’s duties as an officer of the court is like competing in the Stanley Cup playoffs:

Staten Island may become its own judicial district, and may get a new courthouse complex, but Acting Supreme Court Justice Philip Straniere isn’t touching a razor until New York state judges get a raise.

It has been almost nine years since judges have seen a salary increase, and about four months since Straniere last shaved.

“I decided not to shave while on vacation in August,” said Straniere, who is supervising judge of the Civil Court. “Then I decided it would be a good protest beard.”

State judges currently make $135,900, Straniere said.

“It sounds like a lot,” he admitted. “But no one has the same salary for nine years straight.”

And Straniere pointed out that unlike big-league ballplayers like Alex Rodriguez, judges are restricted as to how much outside income they can earn and can’t do endorsements and promotions to make up for those little salary shortfalls.

“You don’t see Nike ads for judicial robes do you?” Straniere said. “Or Hillerich & Bradsby model gavels signed by judges?”

Sports comparisons do not end there:

It’s not the first time that the jurist has gone hyper-hirsute in the the service of a good cause. Straniere also grew out his beard to protest the baseball strike that began in August 1994 and lasted into April 1995, wiping out the 1994 World Series.

“It worked, didn’t it?” Straniere said. “Baseball came back stronger than ever. Hopefully, my colleagues and I will be as successful — and without the use of steroids.”

That beard was shorn before Straniere ran for Civil Court in 1996.

Growing a beard also makes economic sense, Straniere said.

“Think of the money I’m saving on shaving cream and razor blades,” he said. “Besides, the way things are going, my beard should be long enough by Christmas for me to get work as a sidewalk Santa for some charity.”