Federal Judge Denies Former Milwaukee County Judge's Request for Acquittal and New Trial

Hannah Dugan was found guilty of obstructing federal agents from detaining an undocumented immigrant last year.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:55pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a pair of metal handcuffs against a stark black background, the harsh flash illuminating the textured surface and cold, unyielding form of the restraints, conceptually representing the legal consequences faced by a judge who intervened in a federal immigration case.A federal judge's decision denying a former Milwaukee judge's request for acquittal exposes the legal tensions between local courts and federal immigration enforcement.Today in Milwaukee

A federal judge has denied former Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan's request for an acquittal and a new trial after she was found guilty in December of last year on one of two charges for obstructing federal agents from detaining an undocumented immigrant. The trial judge, Lynn Adelman, rejected Dugan's arguments that she had 'absolute judicial immunity' and that the prosecution violated the Constitution's separation of powers.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local judicial authorities, as well as the legal boundaries around a judge's authority to intervene in immigration matters within their own courtrooms.

The details

In December, a jury found Dugan guilty on one of two charges for obstructing federal agents from detaining an undocumented immigrant named Eduardo Flores Ruiz. Dugan filed a motion to dismiss, arguing that she had 'absolute judicial immunity' and that the prosecution violated the Constitution's separation of powers. However, Judge Adelman denied the motion, stating that there is no 'general rule of criminal immunity for judges' and that Dugan acted outside of her normal duties as a judge to conceal Flores Ruiz from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

  • In December of last year, a jury found Dugan guilty on one of two charges.
  • On Monday, the same trial judge, Lynn Adelman, denied Dugan's request for an acquittal and a new trial.
  • Dugan resigned as a Milwaukee County Judge in January.

The players

Hannah Dugan

A former Milwaukee County Judge who was found guilty of obstructing federal agents from detaining an undocumented immigrant.

Lynn Adelman

The federal judge who denied Dugan's request for an acquittal and a new trial.

Eduardo Flores Ruiz

The undocumented immigrant that Dugan was found guilty of obstructing federal agents from detaining.

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What they’re saying

“There is no 'general rule of criminal immunity for judges' and that Dugan acted outside of her normal duties as a judge to conceal Flores Ruiz from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

— Judge Lynn Adelman, Federal Judge

What’s next

Dugan has not indicated whether she plans to appeal the judge's decision denying her request for an acquittal and a new trial.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex legal and ethical issues that can arise when local judges intervene in federal immigration enforcement actions, and the potential consequences they may face for overstepping their judicial authority.