Judge Bruce W. Hilyer has been on the King County Superior Court bench for almost 10 years and its presiding judge since 2008. It has been said he has been “fearless” in piloting the court through some of the most turbulent financial times facing the third branch of county government. He has literally contemplated the complex issues facing the county and the Court from the 10,000-foot level.
Quoting one who should know, Judge John Erlick observed recently:
Judge Hilyer brings the attributes of a pilot to his position as presiding judge: focused, a vision over the long horizon, and the ability to guide us through a storm. The other quality one seeks in a pilot — and presiding judge — is trust. As someone who has flown with Judge Hilyer in his plane, you have to place a lot of trust in the person behind the stick. Having served as a chief civil judge with Judge Hilyer as PJ, I can state that that trust is well placed and deserved.
Judge Hilyer has been in training for this job most of his professional life. He was a student leader at Mercer Island High, graduating in 1969, attended Cornell and graduated from the University of Washington Law School in 1979, receiving the Order of the Coif and highest honors.
He began at the prosecutor’s office. After two years of trying jury cases, Judge Hilyer left to become legal counsel to Mayor Charlie Royer. Politics intrigued Judge Hilyer and he ultimately ran for county executive in 1989, coming within 1,400 votes of being elected, losing to Tim Hill in the closest county executive election in King County history.
His private practice experience included working with the law firm later known as Cohen & Kaplan and then with Culp Guterson & Grader, where he focused on complex commercial litigation. Ultimately, he formed his own firm, where he practiced until his appointment to the bench in 2000.
Judge Hilyer has been able to apply his excellent political instincts to the position of presiding judge in dealing frequently with the County Council, the county executive, the media, the bar and the public. Judge Hilyer “brings his keen judgment, relentless energy, and deep understanding of the court’s role to the challenges currently facing the court,” comments current Chief Civil Judge Paris Kallas.
“Probably the most remarkable feature of Bruce’s leadership has been his laser-like focus on the budget crisis and the threat it poses to a healthy court system,” reports Judge Barbara Linde, presiding judge for the King County District Court. “He is relentless. He never misses an opportunity to talk about our shrinking budgets and our justice system in peril. The court, the bar and the public have all been very well served by his leadership.”
Always looking for other challenges, Judge Hilyer just successfully completed a cross-country flight in the 1938 Beechcraft Stagger Wing antique bi-plane he restored (he’s piloted a plane across the U.S. more than 15 times). It is no wonder that Judge Hilyer is able to offer a thoughtful, high-level perspective on the court’s importance to our county and state.
Peter Ehrlichman is a partner in the Seattle Trial Group of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, a national law firm. He was a member of the Eastside “Interschool Council” with Bruce Hilyer in 1967-68.
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