Hannah Dugan
Hannah Dugan was a judge for Branch 31 of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court in Wisconsin. She assumed office in 2016. She left office on January 3, 2026.
Dugan ran for re-election for the Branch 31 judge of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court in Wisconsin. She won in the general election on April 5, 2022.
On May 13, 2025, Dugan was indicted on federal charges of concealing a person from arrest and obstruction of proceedings.[1] The indictment came after Dugan was arrested on April 25 for allegedly helping an individual residing in the United States without permission exit her courtroom to avoid arrest by waiting immigration officers.[2] Dugan was suspended from the bench by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 29, 2025, and was found guilty on one count of felony obstruction on December 18, 2025.[3] For more information on this story, please click here.
Biography
Dugan earned her B.A. in legal studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her M.A. in American studies from Boston College. She later received her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dugan began working as an attorney in private practice in 2010. She has also served as a referee on attorney discipline cases for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.[4]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (2022)
General election
General election for Milwaukee County Circuit Court Branch 31
Incumbent Hannah Dugan won election in the general election for Milwaukee County Circuit Court Branch 31 on April 5, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Hannah Dugan (Nonpartisan) | 98.4 | 89,206 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.6 | 1,434 | ||
| Total votes: 90,640 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Hannah Dugan advanced from the primary for Milwaukee County Circuit Court Branch 31.
2016
Wisconsin held general elections for local judicial offices on April 5, 2016. A primary election took place on February 16, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 5, 2016. Hannah Dugan defeated incumbent Paul Rifelj in the Milwaukee County Circuit Court general election for Branch 31.[5]
| Milwaukee County Circuit Court (Branch 31), General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Hannah Dugan |
64.54% | 110,779 |
| Paul Rifelj Incumbent | 34.71% | 59,576 |
| Write-in votes | 0.76% | 1,302 |
| Total Votes | 171,657 | |
| Source: Milwaukee County, "Spring Election Unofficial Results," accessed April 5, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The 241 judges of the Wisconsin Circuit Courts are elected in nonpartisan elections to six-year terms. All judges must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving after their term expires.[6]
The chief judge of each circuit court is chosen by the state supreme court to serve a two-year term.[6]
Qualifications
To serve on the circuit courts, a judge must be:[6]
- a qualified elector in the state;
- a qualified elector of his or her circuit (for circuit judges); and
- licensed to practice law in the state for at least five years.
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Hannah Dugan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Endorsements
2016
Dugan received the following endorsements in 2016:[7]
- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett
- Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy
- Former Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann
- Milwaukee County Clerk Joseph Czarnezki
- Milwaukee County Clerk of Courts John Barrett
- Milwaukee County Supervisor Gerry Broderick
Noteworthy events
Federal charges and indictment (2025)
On April 25, 2025, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals confirmed to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Dugan had been arrested on federal charges of obstruction and concealing an individual.[8]
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Eduardo Flores-Ruiz and his attorney appeared in Dugan's courtroom on April 18 for a pretrial conference on three misdemeanor battery charges.[8] When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived to arrest Flores-Ruiz, Dugan allegedly directed the defendant and his attorney to an exit that led out of the courtroom and into a private hallway. A criminal complaint filed against Dugan in the Eastern District of Wisconsin alleged she instructed ICE and other law enforcement agents to leave the premises, saying they needed a judicial warrant to execute an arrest.[9] The complaint further stated Flores-Ruiz engaged officers in a foot chase when he was identified outside of the courthouse, but he was apprehended and detained. Records indicated that he was charged with illegal re-entry into the United States by federal authorities on April 24, 2025. According to federal agents, he was removed from the U.S. in 2013.[9][1]
Regarding Dugan's arrest, FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X saying, "Just NOW, the FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction — after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week. We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest. Thankfully, our agents chased down the perp on foot and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public. We will have more to share soon. Excellent work @FBIMilwaukee."[10]
Attorneys representing Dugan said in a statement, "Judge Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge. She has retained former United States Attorney Steven Biskupic to represent her. Judge Dugan will defend herself vigorously, and looks forward to being exonerated."[11]
On April 29, 2025, the Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Dugan from her duties on the Milwaukee County Court pending further court orders and placed her on administrative leave.[12]
A federal grand jury indicted Dugan on charges of concealing a person from arrest and obstruction of proceedings on May 13, 2025. She appeared in court on May 15, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to all charges.[13] On December 18, 2025, a jury found Dugan guilty of felony obstruction.[3] On January 3, 2026, Dugan resigned from Branch 31 of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.[14]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The New York Times, "Wisconsin Judge Indicted on Charges That She Helped Immigrant Evade Agents," May 13, 2025
- ↑ ABC News, "'No one is above the law': AG Bondi blasts judges accused of helping undocumented immigrants evade arrest," April 25, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 ABC News, "Milwaukee judge found guilty of felony obstruction in helping undocumented man evade arrest," accessed December 19, 2025
- ↑ Hannah Dugan for Judge, "Career," accessed March 6, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered by Office," accessed January 12, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Wisconsin," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Hannah Dugan for Judge, "Endorsements," accessed March 6, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan arrested by feds at courthouse," accessed April 25, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 DocumentCloud "Criminal Complaint against Hannah C. Dugan, Eastern District of Wisconsin, Case No. 25-MJ-397 (SCD)" accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ X, "FBI Director Kash Patel," April 25, 2025
- ↑ Spectrum News 1 "Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan accused of obstructing federal agents; attorney says she will fight charges" accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedDFP - ↑ The New York Times, "Wisconsin Judge Accused of Obstructing Federal Agents Pleads Not Guilty," May 15, 2025
- ↑ WPR, "Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan resigns after felony conviction," accessed January 5, 2026
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Wisconsin, Western District of Wisconsin • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Wisconsin, Western District of Wisconsin
State courts:
Wisconsin Supreme Court • Wisconsin Court of Appeals • Wisconsin Circuit Courts • Wisconsin Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Wisconsin • Wisconsin judicial elections • Judicial selection in Wisconsin
