The Economic Times

In 1960s, a New Jersey prisoner began studying law to fight his own drug conviction. Decades later, he became a New York judge despite criminal record

Walter Strauss was sentenced to prison in New Jersey in the 1960s after a drug conviction, but his time behind bars set him on an unexpected path. He began studying law, helped other inmates with their cases and continued his education after release. Years later, despite the barriers created by his criminal record, Strauss became a lawyer and eventually a New York Housing Court judge.