Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges of concealing a person from arrest and obstruction of justice. Just The News reported that if convicted, she faces six years behind bars and fines that could bankrupt a small town.
Dugan’s alleged stunt on April 18 involved helping Eduardo Flores Ruiz, an illegal immigrant, dodge federal authorities. A federal grand jury indicted her Tuesday for charges stemming from that day, when she reportedly escorted Flores Ruiz and his attorney out of her courtroom through a backdoor escape route.
This isn’t the plot of a low-budget thriller—it’s a real-life courtroom drama with serious consequences. Back on April 18, Dugan was tipped off about an administrative warrant for Flores Ruiz’s arrest.
Instead of upholding the law, she allegedly led Flores Ruiz and his lawyer through the courthouse’s “jury door” to a nonpublic area. Sounds like someone forgot that judges are supposed to enforce justice, not obstruct it.
Flores Ruiz almost slipped away, but a sharp-eyed Drug Enforcement Agency officer spotted him outside the courthouse. After a chase, the officer nabbed Flores Ruiz, proving that actions have consequences, even for those in robes. Dugan’s attempt to outsmart federal agents ended in her arrest last month.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court, showing some backbone, temporarily yanked Dugan from the bench while this mess unfolds.
Her trial is slated for July 21, giving her plenty of time to reflect on the rule of law she’s spent her career supposedly championing. Meanwhile, her lawyers are scrambling, filing a motion to dismiss the case on Wednesday.
“Judge Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law,” her attorneys claimed, insisting she’s innocent and will be vindicated. That’s a bold statement for someone accused of sneaking a wanted man out a side door. Commitment to the law doesn’t usually involve helping fugitives evade arrest.
Dugan’s legal team might believe she’s untouchable, but the charges paint a different picture. Concealing a person from arrest and obstruction of justice aren’t minor infractions—they carry a potential six-year prison sentence. That’s a long time to ponder the difference between judicial discretion and outright defiance.
The FBI’s charging document doesn’t mince words, stating Dugan “escorted Flores-Ruiz and his counsel out of the courtroom through the ‘jury door,’” despite knowing about the warrant.
That’s not a clerical error; it’s a deliberate act. So much for the impartiality we expect from those wielding gavels. Flores Ruiz, the man at the center of this fiasco, was arrested after his brief taste of freedom.
His status as an illegal immigrant adds fuel to the fire, raising questions about why a judge would risk her career to shield him. Perhaps Dugan thought she was above the law—or just didn’t think at all.
Dugan’s not-guilty plea might buy her time, but it won’t erase the public’s skepticism. When a judge allegedly helps a wanted man slip through the cracks, it erodes trust in the entire system. Milwaukee deserves better than courtroom capers that belong in a bad TV script.
Her attorneys’ motion to dismiss suggests they’re grasping at straws, hoping to spin this as a misunderstanding. But escorting someone out a nonpublic exit after learning of their warrant isn’t exactly standard procedure. It’s the kind of move that screams guilt, not innocence.
The stakes are high, with fines up to $350,000 looming if Dugan is convicted. That’s a hefty price for a moment of misguided loyalty. Taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for a judge’s reckless decisions.
As July 21 approaches, all eyes will be on Dugan’s trial. Will she stick to her not-guilty plea, or will the weight of evidence force a different strategy? The courtroom she once presided over will now judge her actions.
“Despite having been advised of the administrative warrant,” the FBI noted, Dugan chose the jury door. That single decision could cost her career and freedom. It’s a stark reminder that no one—not even a judge—is above accountability.