Former judge Dugan avoids prison, fined $5K for obstruction
July 8, 2026/
Former judge Hannah Dugan avoided jail time but was fined $5,000 as she was sentenced on Wednesday for a felony obstruction conviction.
Dugan was found guilty of obstruction by a jury in December after she was accused of obstructing the arrest of a defendant in her court by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers outside of her courtroom.
Her requests for a new trial and an acquittal were previously denied.
Dugan resigned from her Milwaukee County judge role after her conviction. Her resignation came after Wisconsin Assembly leaders threatened to impeach her.
The jury found Dugan not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of concealing related to defendant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was later arrested on the street outside the courthouse and has since been deported.
The obstruction conviction could have led to up to five years in prison.
Today Jul 8
84° 66°
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Latest News Stories
Illinois Quick Hits: Gas prices fall, remain higher than a year ago
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – AAA says the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Illinois has fallen about...
White teacher gets new life for race discrimination suit
By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square Saying recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have changed the legal calculus, a Chicago federal judge has ruled a white Evanston middle school...
Poll: About half of Americans confident in democracy’s future
By Morgan SweeneyThe Center Square About half of Americans are confident about the future of democracy in the U.S., but nearly two-thirds say the country is not living out its...
Pennsylvania will be at the ‘Great American State Fair’ after all
By Lauren JessopThe Center Square Pennsylvania was one of a handful of Democratic-led states that opted out of the Freedom 250 Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., citing partisan...
Everyday Economics: The consumer is still spending, but not out of the woods
By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square Last month, inflation was still too high but some households got a little breathing room. In May 2026, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the...
Illinois lawmaker promotes welfare water aid bill as critics raise concerns over federal expansion
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A proposal to permanently restore a federal water assistance program is drawing criticism from policy analysts...
America 250: Founding fathers, presidents point to the Bible as the anchor of liberty
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square As America 250 celebrations are underway, Americans are remembering the convictions of the founding fathers and presidents who pointed to the Bible as “the anchor...
Poll: Majority of Americans believe country not adhering to founding ideals
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square American voters overwhelmingly support their country’s founding ideals – yet the majority also believe that the U.S. is failing to live up to them, according...
Trump-backed Letlow wins Louisiana Republican Senate runoff
By Nolan MckendryThe Center Square U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow won Louisiana’s Republican nomination for U.S. Senate on Saturday, defeating state Treasurer John Fleming in a runoff that became a test...
Poll: Voters more likely to support GOP over Trump
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Republican voters are more likely to identify themselves as supporters of the party itself rather than supporters of President Donald Trump, results of a new...
Report: Texas and Florida are leading in tort reform, Boom Belt success
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Texas and Florida are leading in tort reform, bringing more business and economic growth to southern Boom Belt states, the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute...
Poll: 96% want Senate candidates to address Social Security cuts
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Ninety-six percent of voters want Senate candidates to explain how they'll prevent an automatic 22% Social Security benefit cut for 70 million Americans, a new...
Energy group praises bill curbing EPA regulatory ‘abuses’
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Recently introduced legislation that would rein in certain regulatory powers of the Environmental Protection Agency has drawn praise from dozens of energy industry groups. The...
