This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
After 17 years on the bench, 3rd District Judge Robert K. Hilder spent his final afternoon in his downtown courtroom Friday surrounded by the lawyers and judges he befriended during his tenure.
"This is a wonderful job," Hilder told The Tribune as he discussed his retirement during an interview earlier this month. "I cannot believe I ever got it. I can't believe my life took me to this place. ... It's been an absolute joy, and it's been very difficult in some ways."
Hilder's time as a judge was not without its controversial moments, including a contentious confirmation process that ultimately denied him the chance to serve on the state's Court of Appeals.
But among those in the legal community, Hilder was widely considered one of the state's best judges.
"We all thought he was a shoo-in" for the appellate court, 3rd District Judge William Barrett said Friday amid the hugs, handshakes and laughter that overtook Hilder's courtroom in the Matheson Courthouse. "Because of his raw ability and his writing, he was a natural fit."
The Australian-born Hilder immigrated to the United States in 1977. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah and then graduated from the University of Utah's College of Law in 1984.
Hilder was appointed to the state's 3rd District, which includes Salt Lake, Summit and Tooele Counties, by Gov. Mike Leavitt in 1995.
Barrett, who was appointed to the 3rd District the following year, said he looked to Hilder for guidance.
"There were times that an issue would come up and I didn't know what to do," Barrett said. "I'd take a recess and run over to his chambers and run it by him."
Court of Appeals Judge Carolyn McHugh called Hilder's departure from the bench a "big loss" for the state.
"He's done a great job," McHugh said. "We're losing a lot of very experienced trial judges in a very short window. It's a brain drain."
In retiring, Hilder said he plans to open a law practice with his wife, Jan.
Hilder, who served as the 3rd District's presiding judge from 2007 until this month, will be replaced by Todd M. Shaughnessy, an attorney with the Salt Lake City firm of Snell & Welmer. The Senate confirmed Shaugnessy's appointment earlier this month.
Twitter: @aaronfalk