The cursory debate on the Senate floor came on the eve of what is expected to be a lopsided vote to confirm Griffith today, who is Brigham Young University's general counsel, to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

The D.C. Appeals Court is regarded as the second-most-powerful court in the country, since it frequently handles a vast array of high-profile appeals challenging government policies.

"For me, this is an easy vote," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "I know Tom and his record. . . . Tom Griffith is a good man and has what it takes in terms of education, intelligence, judgment and character to become a great judge."

Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, argued against the confirmation due to a lapsed bar license in the District of Columbia and his failure to obtain a Utah license after taking the BYU job.

"He may be a fine man. He may be a very pleasant person, but it's interesting how the standards change," Leahy said. "Nobody who practiced law illegally like that would have been confirmed under President Clinton."

During his confirmation hearing, Griffith blamed the lapse in his Washington license on an oversight on his part that he corrected after he learned it had been suspended. He argued he was not required to get a Utah license, as long as he works closely with lawyers licensed in the state.

Hatch said the licensing issues "should not be artificially magnified" by opponents who are "trying to make something out of nothing."

Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, recounted how Griffith skillfully helped guide both parties in the Senate through the impeachment process, which one senator predicted would be toxic for the body.

"We disposed of the case in a manner that reflected well on the Senate. In that situation, the legal mind that was counseling both Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans was Tom Griffith," Bennett said. "If I was on trial and I needed a judge who could cut through all the extraneous matter, I would want Tom Griffith to be the judge in that case."

Griffith was first nominated to the bench by President Bush more than 13 months ago to replace nominee Miguel Estrada - who withdrew his name after he was blocked by a Democratic filibuster - but Hatch was unable to push the nomination through the Senate before it adjourned last year.

Bush renominated Griffith in February. His nomination made it through the Senate Judiciary Committee in April. It was stalled amid a partisan battle over the Democrats' use of filibusters to block Bush's appeals court nominees, although Griffith's was not among the contentious nominations.