Hillyard, himself an attorney, said he felt caught between the legal community and the gun rights organizations, but thought personally Hilder judged well in the guns case.

"I think Judge Hilder is to be complimented," the senator said, before adding other praise regarding the tough legal environment the judge has worked in. "As to pressure from Summit County, he is to be complimented on how he conducted himself."

The rest of the hearing was spent on the minutiae of a case that ultimately concluded when a women in a Summit County divorce case shot and kidnapped her ex-husband before pulling a gun on police and being shot to death herself.

Following subpoenaed testimony from a doctor who evaluated the family in question and an attorney who represented the woman, the senators grilled Hilder on seven hearings that occurred during the 23-month case.

Both sides of the Senate committee will submit written reports to the full Senate before Wednesday. But men on both sides said they didn't know what to expect at that time.

"I see absolutely no reason not to move this nomination forward," said committee chairman Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights. "In the main, this is a tremendous individual who has accomplished much in his life."

If not confirmed to serve on the appellate court, Hilder will continue to adjudicate 3rd District cases. But appellate appointment would go far to affirm the efforts of a hard-working, intelligent judge, Hillyard said.

"He has enough professional commitment that he knows he can do a good job."

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E-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com