A federal judge has upheld the conviction of former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, rejecting her attempt to overturn the verdict or secure a new trial. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman ruled that the evidence presented during trial was sufficient for a jury to find that Dugan obstructed federal immigration enforcement efforts.
The case stems from an April 2025 incident involving officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who were attempting to arrest an individual scheduled to appear in Dugan’s courtroom. After a weeklong trial, a jury convicted her of felony obstruction but acquitted her of a separate charge related to concealing the individual.
In her post-trial motion, Dugan challenged several aspects of the case, including the legality of the administrative warrant, the jury instructions, and whether her actions fell within her judicial authority. She argued that managing courtroom proceedings is part of a judge’s responsibilities and that her conduct should not be criminalized. However, the court rejected those claims, stating that judicial duties do not grant immunity from obstruction charges when intent and actions meet the legal standard.
Judge Adelman’s ruling also addressed the issue of intent, noting that prosecutors were not required to prove Dugan knew specific identifying details about the individual. Instead, the focus was on whether her actions knowingly interfered with law enforcement. The court emphasized that otherwise lawful actions can still constitute a crime if carried out with improper intent.
Evidence presented at trial included a timeline of events and audio recordings suggesting Dugan took steps that could have delayed or interfered with the arrest. The judge concluded that a reasonable jury could interpret those actions as obstruction. With this decision, the conviction remains in place, though Dugan retains the option to appeal through higher courts.