Robert Hilder
Encyclopedia
Robert K. Hilder is a Third Judicial District Court Judge in the U.S. state
of Utah
. The Third District consists of Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties.
from the University of Utah
where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1984 he received his J.D.
degree from the University of Utah College of Law, where he served on the Utah Law Review.
.
Hilder has been called "one of the kindest, most compassionate, gentlest people to sit on the bench." He spared a teenage boy who accidentally accelerated a car into a crowd of people, killing two of them. As a result of the crash, the boy received brain damage. Instead of sending the boy to jail, Hilder ordered that the boy serve 8 hours a week for 5 years serving people. Such as helping the elderly. This was something that Hilder thought might cause criticism, but both parties seemed content with the decision.
Hilder has served as the Presiding Judge of the Third District since 2007. He has also served on the Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee, the Utah Judicial Council and the Administrative Governing Body of the Utah Court System. For a description of Hilder's courtroom approach see "Some Resolutions of a New Judge." Published in the June/ July issue of the Utah Bar Journal.
Hilder was nominated in 2008 by Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. to be appointed to the Utah Court of Appeals. Hilder's appointment was actively opposed by the Utah gun lobby because of a decision he made in a case involving the ability of the University of Utah to regulate the carrying of concealed weapons on campus. Hilder sided with the University and the legislature subsequently mooted his decision by amending the law. Although the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee recommended confirmation on a 3-2 vote, the full Senate declined to confirm him on a 16-12 vote against confirmation. The Utah State Bar actively supported Hilder's appointment and the matter generated considerable public controversy.
Hilder was re-elected in the 2010 retention election 151,876 to 54,350. Prior to the 2010 election, Hilder was certified by the Utah Judicial Council as having successfully passed his Judicial Performance Evaluations by attorneys, jurors and staff.
In 2010 the Utah State Bar awarded Hilder with the 2010 Judge of the Year Award.
could prohibit guns on its campus. As a result, his proposed appointment to the Court of Appeals was opposed by gun lobbyists. One of the leaders of the opposition to his appointment was Michael G. Waddoups
, who was a major advocate of guns on university campuses.
Hilder also heard the case involving Paul Wayment, and sentenced him to jail even though the prosecutor had not asked for such.
’ “A Tale of Two Cities
” inspired Hilder and sparked his interest in law.
He came from a broken home and left at age 15. At age 24 he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and about a year later began two years of service as a missionary
for the church in Australia. Hilder has aserved as a bishop in the LDS Church.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The Third District consists of Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties.
Education
Hilder received his bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1984 he received his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from the University of Utah College of Law, where he served on the Utah Law Review.
Legal career
Hilder worked part time at the Salt Lake City law firm of Christensen & Jensen as a clerk during law school. After graduating he joined the firm practicing civil litigation and eventually working his way up to managing director of the law firm. Hilder teaches pretrial practice as an adjunct professor at the S.J. Quinney College of LawS.J. Quinney College of Law
The S.J. Quinney College of Law is the law school of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Established in 1913, the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law is nationally recognized for its accomplished faculty, innovative curriculum, and low faculty-to-student ratio...
.
Judicial career
Hilder was appointed to the Third Judicial District Court on August 1, 1995 by Governor Michael O. Leavitt.Hilder has been called "one of the kindest, most compassionate, gentlest people to sit on the bench." He spared a teenage boy who accidentally accelerated a car into a crowd of people, killing two of them. As a result of the crash, the boy received brain damage. Instead of sending the boy to jail, Hilder ordered that the boy serve 8 hours a week for 5 years serving people. Such as helping the elderly. This was something that Hilder thought might cause criticism, but both parties seemed content with the decision.
Hilder has served as the Presiding Judge of the Third District since 2007. He has also served on the Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee, the Utah Judicial Council and the Administrative Governing Body of the Utah Court System. For a description of Hilder's courtroom approach see "Some Resolutions of a New Judge." Published in the June/ July issue of the Utah Bar Journal.
Hilder was nominated in 2008 by Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. to be appointed to the Utah Court of Appeals. Hilder's appointment was actively opposed by the Utah gun lobby because of a decision he made in a case involving the ability of the University of Utah to regulate the carrying of concealed weapons on campus. Hilder sided with the University and the legislature subsequently mooted his decision by amending the law. Although the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee recommended confirmation on a 3-2 vote, the full Senate declined to confirm him on a 16-12 vote against confirmation. The Utah State Bar actively supported Hilder's appointment and the matter generated considerable public controversy.
Hilder was re-elected in the 2010 retention election 151,876 to 54,350. Prior to the 2010 election, Hilder was certified by the Utah Judicial Council as having successfully passed his Judicial Performance Evaluations by attorneys, jurors and staff.
In 2010 the Utah State Bar awarded Hilder with the 2010 Judge of the Year Award.
Rulings
Hilder who ruled that the University of UtahUniversity of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
could prohibit guns on its campus. As a result, his proposed appointment to the Court of Appeals was opposed by gun lobbyists. One of the leaders of the opposition to his appointment was Michael G. Waddoups
Michael G. Waddoups
Michael G. Waddoups is an American politician and property manager from Utah. A Republican, he is a member of the Utah State Senate, representing the state's 6th senate district in Salt Lake County including Taylorsville.-Biography:...
, who was a major advocate of guns on university campuses.
Hilder also heard the case involving Paul Wayment, and sentenced him to jail even though the prosecutor had not asked for such.
Personal background
Hilder immigrated to the United States in 1977 from Sydney, Australia after serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Adelaide, Australia. He graduated law school in 1984, the same year he became a U.S. citizen. Charles DickensCharles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
’ “A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities is a novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. With well over 200 million copies sold, it ranks among the most famous works in the history of fictional literature....
” inspired Hilder and sparked his interest in law.
He came from a broken home and left at age 15. At age 24 he joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and about a year later began two years of service as a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the church in Australia. Hilder has aserved as a bishop in the LDS Church.
Sources
- Utah State Courts http://www.utcourts.gov/judgesbios/showGallery.asp?dist=3&ct_type=D
- Richard Piatt. "Supreme Court Says University of Utah Can't Ban Guns." KSL. September 8, 2006. http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=478103
- Article from High Beam