Riley Heath "was as firm in his friendships as he was in his judicial opinions during his long serv'ce on the New York State Supreme Court bench." The Binghamton Sun of September 26, 1951 went on to describe his career in this way. "On the bench he won the respect of litigants and attorneys alike through his fairness and clear-cut decisions... and his decisions stood up. Outspoken and frank, he impressed associates on and off the bench as a man who did his own thinking."
Riley Heath was born in 1889 in Sanitaria Springs, New York and in 1892 his family moved to 25 Bridge Street in Sidney. He was successful in high school, excelling in his studies and playing on the football team. He graduated from Sidney High School in 1907 and worked his way through Cornell and graduated in 1912 with a law degree. He became associated with a law firm in Ithaca and soon became a partner.