Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is scheduled to appear Wednesday for a final pretrial hearing before a Dec. 15 trial in which she is accused of helping an immigrant evade federal agents.
Federal prosecutors charged Dugan in April with obstruction and with concealing an individual to prevent arrest; a grand jury returned an indictment on those same two counts in May. If convicted on both charges, she faces up to six years in prison. Jury selection is set for Dec. 11–12.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Dugan’s attorneys and prosecutors are expected to dispute juror screening questions, proposed jury instructions and other remaining procedural matters. Court filings indicate Dugan will attend the hearing in person.
Interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel has said prosecutors offered Dugan a plea deal that her lawyers declined. Dugan’s defense team maintains she is innocent and says her actions were within the scope of her judicial duties.
The charges stem from an April appearance in a state battery case involving 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an immigrant alleged to be in the country illegally. According to court documents, federal agents learned Flores-Ruiz was scheduled to appear and went to the Milwaukee County Courthouse intending to take him into custody. The documents say Dugan learned agents were outside her courtroom and escorted Flores-Ruiz out through a private door. He reached the exterior but was apprehended after a foot chase; the Department of Homeland Security says Flores-Ruiz has since been deported.
Dugan’s indictment has sharpened tensions between the Trump administration and some local officials over immigration enforcement. Supporters of Dugan and some Democrats say the case risks chilling judicial independence; federal officials have publicly criticized her on social media, posting images of her being led from the courthouse and calling her an "activist judge."
With jury selection and the trial dates approaching, this week’s hearing will resolve final procedural issues before the case goes to trial in mid-December.
