In 1982, Steven Phillips was wrongfully convicted in Texas for a series of sexual assaults and related crimes he did not commit. He spent 24 years behind bars.

In 2008, he was finally set free after new DNA evidence proved he was not the perpetrator.

As compensation for the decades he lost, the state awarded him approximately $6 million, which included a lump sum, monthly annuity payments, health care and education benefits.

Soon after receiving the compensation, his ex-wife who had divorced him during his time in prison filed a lawsuit seeking a share of the money.

Fortunately for Phillips, the court rejected her claim. It ruled that the compensation was solely intended for him as restitution for his wrongful imprisonment and was not considered a shared marital asset.