Former Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan avoided a prison sentence on Wednesday after being convicted of felony obstruction last December. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman instead imposed a $5,000 fine, characterizing the incident as a lapse in judgment by an otherwise well-regarded individual who was distressed by national immigration policies. The sentencing comes after Dugan, 67, resigned in January from her position as a Milwaukee County Circuit Judge, a role she had held for nine years, amid mounting pressure and threats of impeachment from Republican lawmakers.
The legal case centers on events from April 18, 2025, when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived at the Milwaukee County courthouse to arrest 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz. The defendant was scheduled to appear before Dugan for a hearing related to a state battery case. Prosecutors stated that Dugan initially confronted the agents outside her courtroom and directed them to the chief judge’s office, claiming their administrative warrant was insufficient. After the agents departed, she guided the defendant and his attorney out through a private jury door. Despite her actions, agents spotted Flores-Ruiz in the hallway, pursued him outside, and successfully took him into custody following a foot chase.
During her sentencing, Dugan maintained that she acted to preserve the decorum and safety of her courtroom rather than out of malice. She noted that the legal proceedings have led her to retire from public life due to persistent threats against herself and her family. While federal sentencing guidelines suggested a term of 15 to 21 months, Judge Adelman was not bound by those recommendations. Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Frohling argued that although Dugan faced significant collateral consequences, including the loss of her career and a felony record, judges are not permitted to disregard the law. He emphasized that the conviction serves as a reminder that no one is above the law.
Dugan’s defense team, led by attorney Jason Luczak, argued that she had already been sufficiently punished and stated their intention to appeal the felony conviction. Earlier in the trial, jurors had acquitted Dugan of a misdemeanor charge related to concealing an individual to prevent arrest. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin reiterated that her actions created unnecessary risks for law enforcement and the public, justifying the need for serious consequences. Flores-Ruiz, the subject of the immigration arrest, was eventually deported in November 2025.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan leaves the federal courthouse after a hearing in Milwaukee on May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Manis, File)
“Law enforcement officers need to be able to carry out their lawful responsibilities in the manner that is safest for them, the public and the individual they are attempting to detain,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “Dugan’s reckless and illegal actions interfered with that goal and created unnecessary risks for all involved. For that there needed to be serious consequences.”
