Justice Walter B. Reynolds was born in Elmira, Chemung County, on July 25, 1901. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and then from Cornell Law School in 1925. He was admitted to the Kentucky Bar in 1925 and to the New York State Bar in 1927. He was in private practice until his election as Chemung County District Attorney in 1937, a post he held until 1950. Then from 1950 to the end of 1955, he was the senior partner with Reynolds, Cramer & Donovan in Elmira. Justice Reynolds also served as an Elmira acting city court judge for a time. In 1955, he was elected a Supreme Court Justice. He served on the Appellate Division from 1958 to 1976. His nickname was “Dobby”. He died on November 9, 1991 at his home in Elmira at the age of 90.