BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Wisconsin Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan has formally resigned from the bench, sending her resignation letter to Gov. Tony Evers on Saturday as pressure mounted following her felony conviction for obstruction and growing calls for her removal from office.
Dugan’s resignation comes weeks after a federal jury found her guilty of helping an immigrant evade federal immigration officers, a conviction that prompted Republican lawmakers to begin preparing impeachment proceedings. A spokesperson for the governor confirmed receipt of the resignation letter and said Evers would move quickly to appoint a replacement to ensure continuity in the Milwaukee County court system.
In her letter, Dugan reflected on more than a decade of judicial service, writing that she presided over thousands of cases with a commitment to fairness, dignity and respect for everyone who appeared before her. She said she worked to ensure her courtroom upheld public safety, consistency and decorum, values she described as essential to maintaining trust in the justice system.
At the same time, Dugan acknowledged that the legal case against her had grown into a significant distraction for the courts and the community she served. She described the federal prosecution as unprecedented and warned that it posed broader questions about judicial independence.
“As you know, I am the subject of unprecedented federal legal proceedings, which are far from concluded but which present immense and complex challenges that threaten the independence of our judiciary,” Dugan wrote. “I am pursuing this fight for myself and for our independent judiciary.”
Federal prosecutors charged Dugan last year after an incident at the Milwaukee County courthouse involving a Mexican immigrant sought by immigration authorities. According to court records, immigration officers arrived at the courthouse after learning that Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who authorities said had reentered the United States illegally, was scheduled to appear before Dugan on a state battery charge.
Prosecutors said Dugan confronted the officers outside her courtroom and objected to their attempt to detain Flores-Ruiz, arguing that their administrative warrant did not provide sufficient legal authority for an arrest inside the courthouse. She directed the agents to speak with Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley. After the officers left the area, Dugan escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a private jury door, away from public hallways.
Agents later spotted Flores-Ruiz elsewhere in the building, pursued him outside and arrested him following a brief foot chase. The Department of Homeland Security later said Flores-Ruiz was deported in November.
A federal jury convicted Dugan of felony obstruction on Dec. 19, setting off an intense political response in Wisconsin. Republican lawmakers argued that the conviction required her immediate resignation and cited the state constitution as grounds for impeachment if she refused to step down.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos praised Dugan’s decision to resign, saying it aligned with constitutional expectations and brought clarity to a contentious situation.
“I’m glad Dugan did the right thing by resigning and followed the clear direction from the Wisconsin Constitution,” Vos said in a statement.
Democrats, while divided over the case itself, largely agreed that the uncertainty surrounding Dugan’s status had become disruptive for the courts. Ann Jacobs, chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission and a prominent Democrat, said Milwaukee would be better served by having a permanent judge in place while Dugan continues to challenge her conviction.
“Despite her situation, she is ever the champion of justice, wanting to remove the judiciary from a political battle over her fate,” Jacobs wrote on social media. “I’m sure this is terribly hard for her, but she is true to her faith and her principles.”
The case drew national attention after President Donald Trump cited Dugan’s prosecution as part of his administration’s broader immigration enforcement campaign. Supporters of the judge, including several Democratic officials, argued that the federal government was attempting to make an example of her to discourage judicial resistance to immigration arrests in courthouses.
With Dugan’s resignation now official, Gov. Evers is expected to appoint an interim replacement to fill the vacancy. Meanwhile, Dugan has indicated she intends to continue contesting her conviction, framing her legal fight as one with implications not only for her own future, but for the independence and authority of judges nationwide.
Original article
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