The Brief The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended Judge Hannah Dugan. Dugan is accused of helping a man evade immigration agents at the courthouse. In a statement, Dugan's legal team said it was disappointed "that the Court acted in unilateral fashion."
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended Hannah Dugan, the Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge accused of helping a man avoid immigration enforcement at the courthouse. Dugan arrested The backstory: The FBI arrested Dugan last week, and a retired judge is already taking on her cases. She faces federal charges of concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest and obstructing or impeding a proceeding.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Federal prosecutors say Dugan helped Eduardo Flores Ruiz, a Mexican national charged in connection to a March fight, avoid U.S. Immigration and Customs agents at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. What's next: Prosecutors said they intend to present the allegations against Dugan to a grand jury. Her preliminary hearing is set for May 15.
Judge Hannah Dugan arrested in Milwaukee Supreme Court order What they're saying: On Tuesday, the state Supreme Court issued a two-page order noting that Dugan faces federal charges and saying it is in the public interest to temporarily relieve her of her duties. "It is ordered … that Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah C. Dugan is temporarily prohibited from exercising the powers of a circuit court judge in the state of Wisconsin, effective the date of this order and until further order of the court," the justices wrote. In a statement, Dugan's legal team said it was disappointed "that the Court acted in unilateral fashion.
We continue to assert Judge Dugan’s innocence and look forward to her vindication in court." Governing power Dig deeper: Mordecai Lee, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor emeritus of political science, said the Wisconsin Supreme Court is using its governing power over the judicial branch. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News "I think we're all sort of surprised by this, because we are not used to these kinds of unusual cases," said Lee.
"Every once in a while, the state Supreme Court has to step in and has to discipline a judge. "It seems to me that the decision that came today comes not based on, ‘I’m a de facto Republican,’ or, ‘I’m a de facto Democrat.’ It was, ‘What is the proper behavior of a circuit judge?’" While this does not happen often, it has happened before. The Wisconsin Supreme Court previously revoked the license of a former Milwaukee County judge who pleaded guilty to federal charges of transmitting child pornography.
That judge, Brett Blomme, was sentenced in 2021 to nine years in prison.
