A Wisconsin judge has been convicted in a federal obstruction case after a jury found she interfered with an attempted immigration arrest inside a Milwaukee courthouse, a rare criminal ruling involving a sitting state judge.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, 66, was found guilty on one count of obstruction of justice linked to an April incident in which she was accused of helping a migrant temporarily evade federal immigration officers. She was cleared on a separate charge of concealing a person from arrest. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
The case centres on the arrest attempt of Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national who was appearing in court on misdemeanour battery charges. Federal officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration were present at the courthouse with an administrative immigration warrant and planned to detain him following his hearing.
According to prosecutors, Judge Dugan became aware of the officers’ presence and objected to the type of warrant they were carrying. Court testimony said she directed the agents to consult with the chief judge, and during that window, allowed Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer to leave the courtroom through a side exit typically reserved for jurors.
The attempt to avoid arrest was short-lived. Immigration agents intercepted Flores-Ruiz elsewhere in the courthouse, and he was later deported from the United States.
At trial, federal prosecutors argued that the judge’s actions went beyond courtroom administration and amounted to intentional interference with a lawful arrest. The defence countered that Dugan was following internal courthouse procedures and did not intend to obstruct law enforcement, describing the incident as a misunderstanding rather than a criminal act.
The jury returned a split verdict, convicting Dugan of obstruction while acquitting her on the charge of concealing a person from arrest. Legal analysts noted that such mixed outcomes are uncommon in cases involving judges and reflect the narrow factual questions jurors were asked to consider.
After the verdict, Dugan’s legal team said they would continue to fight the conviction, pointing to the acquittal as evidence that prosecutors failed to prove she deliberately aided an escape. Federal officials, however, described the ruling as a clear signal that judges are not immune from prosecution if they interfere with federal law enforcement.
The case has attracted national attention amid heightened debate over immigration enforcement in courthouses, a setting long viewed by some judges and advocates as sensitive due to concerns about access to justice. Supporters of the verdict argue it reinforces the rule of law, while critics warn it could discourage judges from exercising discretion in managing their courtrooms.
Judge Dugan remains free pending sentencing. Wisconsin court authorities have not yet said whether disciplinary action will follow the criminal proceedings.
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press
Read more: Xcel triggers second emergency power shutoff as wind threat keeps Colorado in the dark
