It isn't every day you see a sitting judge in handcuffs. But on a chilly Friday morning in April 2025, that is exactly what happened at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. FBI agents moved in and took Judge Hannah Dugan into custody, sparking a legal firestorm that has fundamentally reshaped the conversation around judicial independence and federal power.
The image of a 66-year-old circuit court judge being escorted by federal agents was jarring. Honestly, it felt like a scene from a political thriller rather than a standard day in the Wisconsin legal system.
The story started a week before the arrest. On April 18, 2025, federal agents from ICE and the FBI arrived at the courthouse. They weren't there for a trial. They were looking for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a man who had previously been deported and was now facing misdemeanor battery charges in Dugan’s courtroom.
When the FBI Arrests Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan, Things Get Complicated
According to the federal affidavit, things got heated fast. A clerk reportedly showed Judge Dugan photos of the federal agents waiting in the hallway. Witnesses say she became "visibly angry," calling the presence of immigration agents in her courthouse "absurd."
She didn't just sit there.
Dugan left the bench, went into the hallway, and confronted the agents. She demanded to see a judicial warrant. When they couldn't produce one signed by a judge (they had an administrative warrant), she allegedly told them to go talk to the chief judge.
Then came the move that sealed her fate.
While the agents were being directed away, Dugan reportedly went back into her courtroom. She looked at Flores-Ruiz and his attorney and said, basically, "Wait, come with me." She ushered them through the jury door—a non-public exit normally reserved for court staff and jurors.
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A Bold Move or a Federal Crime?
The federal government didn't see this as a judge protecting her courtroom's sanctity. They saw it as a felony.
The charges were serious:
- Obstruction of a federal proceeding
- Concealing an individual to prevent arrest
Kash Patel, the FBI Director at the time, was blunt about it on social media. He claimed Dugan "intentionally misdirected" federal agents. He even posted a photo of her in handcuffs later that day with the caption, "No one is above the law."
But was she trying to hide a criminal, or was she trying to keep her courtroom from becoming a "trap" for litigants? That's the question that divided Milwaukee.
You had Senator Tammy Baldwin calling the arrest a "gravely serious and drastic move" that threatened the separation of powers. On the flip side, people like former Governor Scott Walker were calling for her immediate impeachment.
The man at the center of it all, Flores-Ruiz, didn't actually get away. After he left through the jury door, agents spotted him in another part of the building. A foot chase ensued outside, and he was tackled and arrested anyway.
The Trial and the Resignation
For months, Dugan stayed in a weird legal limbo. The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended her almost immediately to "preserve public confidence." She was still getting her salary—about $179,774—while sitting at home waiting for her day in court.
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That day came in December 2025.
A federal jury in Milwaukee listened to the testimony. They saw the security footage. They heard the "visibly angry" descriptions from the agents. On December 18, 2025, the jury came back with a split verdict.
They found her guilty of felony obstruction.
However, they found her not guilty on the lesser charge of concealing a wanted person. It was a partial victory for her defense, but the felony conviction was the death knell for her career.
On January 3, 2026, Judge Hannah Dugan officially resigned. She sent a letter to Governor Tony Evers, ending a judicial career that began back in 2016. It was a quiet end to a very loud year.
Lessons From the Milwaukee Courthouse Clash
This case isn't just about one judge in Wisconsin. It's a blueprint for how the federal government is handling local officials who get in the way of immigration enforcement.
If you are a legal professional or just someone who follows the news, there are some pretty heavy takeaways here.
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First, the "courtroom sanctuary" idea is officially on life support. For years, judges felt their courtrooms were their kingdoms. This arrest proved that federal agents don't feel the need to wait at the front door anymore.
Second, administrative warrants are a flashpoint. Dugan’s defense was built on the idea that without a judicial warrant, the agents had no right to be there. The feds disagreed. And the feds won.
Third, the personal cost of "principled resistance" is massive. Dugan faces up to five years in prison. She lost her job, her law license is in jeopardy, and she’s now a convicted felon.
What To Watch For Next
The sentencing hasn't happened yet. That's the next big milestone. Will the judge give her jail time, or will her decades of service as a lawyer and director for Catholic Charities get her some leniency?
Also, keep an eye on the Wisconsin legislature. They are already moving bills to make sure judges who get suspended for this kind of thing don't keep drawing a paycheck while they wait for trial.
If you're following this, look into the 2019 Massachusetts case involving Judge Shelley Joseph. It’s almost identical, but that case was eventually dismissed. The fact that Dugan’s ended in a conviction shows just how much the legal climate has shifted in the last few years.
Next Steps for Legal Researchers:
- Review the Criminal Complaint Affidavit (E.D. Wis. 25-M-397) to see the minute-by-minute breakdown of the hallway confrontation.
- Monitor the Wisconsin Assembly’s progress on the Constitutional Amendment regarding judicial pay during suspensions.
- Follow the sentencing hearing scheduled for later this year to see the final resolution of the Dugan saga.