Former Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan has been sentenced to a $5,000 fine and avoided prison time following her conviction for obstructing federal immigration agents. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman delivered the sentence on Wednesday, stating that incarceration was unnecessary given Dugan's history of public service.
Dugan, 67, had faced a maximum penalty of five years in prison after being found guilty of the obstruction charge. She was acquitted of a separate charge of concealing an undocumented immigrant from arrest during a courthouse incident in April 2025. A jury convicted her on the obstruction charge following a trial in December 2025. Dugan resigned from her judicial position the following month.
During her sentencing hearing, Dugan addressed the court, expressing that her nine years as a judge were spent striving to uphold justice. According to WISN, she stated, "I've been cast as both a scofflaw and a hero. I am neither. I am a public servant who was just trying to do my job."
In his remarks, Judge Adelman described Dugan as a dedicated public servant who made a single, poor decision. He acknowledged her significant contributions to the community, noting that she had done "a lot of good."
The defense had requested time served, arguing in a pre-sentencing filing that the offense was isolated and unique, and that Dugan had been an exemplary community member. Her legal team also contended that her conviction had already resulted in the loss of her judicial career.
Federal prosecutors had advocated for a substantial sentence, asserting in their pre-sentencing filing that the offense was serious and warranted a commensurate penalty. They argued that the court's sentence should reflect not only the personal consequences for Dugan but also the broader institutional harm caused when a judge obstructs justice.
The obstruction charge stemmed from an incident at a courthouse where Dugan was accused of hindering Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings and knowingly concealing an undocumented man from immigration authorities. The jury found her guilty of obstructing federal agents but not guilty of concealing the individual.