born in todmorden, england, the son of john and agnes judson, he received a ba in 1922 and an ma in 1923 from the university of manchester. in 1923 he emigrated to canada. he graduated from osgoode hall law school and was called to the bar in 1932. after practising law for 19 years he was appointed to the high court of justice of ontario in 1951 and to the supreme court of canada in 1958. he retired in 1977.