One would think that after 52 years one would know someone
extremely well. But then, something happens where you see a
side of that person that you never even thought was there.
Your astonished Peasant learned in April of a friend and class-
mate since our high school days had become that person in my
life. Judge Hannah C. Dugan, of late a Milwaukee County Circuit
Judge, was always interested in politics and law; she was on our
All Student Council. After Catholic Memorial High School
Dugan went on to earn her degree in law, then became an attorney
specializing in providing legal aid for low-income people
through Catholic Charities. In 2016 liberal Dugan was elected
to her current judicial position, and became a respected barrister
with praise from both liberals and conservatives --- including
members on the Wisconsin Supreme Court; I myself voted for
her as well.
And here in 2025 I am trying to make sense out of what transpired
recently in Judge Dugan's courtroom that has confounded me and
so many people like me who held the judge in the highest esteem.
On April 18, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
agents were in the courthouse to find and arrest Eduardo Flores-
Ruiz on the grounds of being in the country illegally.
Flores-Ruiz happened to be in Dugan's court as the defendant in
a trial in which he was being tried on assault charges, having
severely beaten three people. Two of the victims were in Dugan's
court when she concealed and aided in the escape from her court
and the courthouse the defendant, Flores-Ruiz, and ICE agents
came to arrest him on the charge of being an illegal immigrant.
Judge Dugan had Flores-Ruiz go to the Jury Room and wait for
further instructions. Now, no one goes into that room but the
jury members in a case, the bailiff, and the judge; your layman
Peasant is not certain of this being so because of a law, or if
it is a in-court proscribed procedure. From that room, Flores-Ruiz,
who was accompanied by his attorney, was instructed to go out
through a door at the back of the room which led to the public
hallway. From there, Flores-Ruiz and his attorney made their
way to an elevator which they rode to the main exit from the
courthouse and exited the building. When Flores-Ruiz began
to leave the grounds, he was chased and apprehended. But what
about the two victims of this thug, who also happened to hear Judge
Judge Dugan's instructions to their attacker? They seemed to be
flipped the middle finger in all this.
The FBI got involved, subsequently beginning an investigation
into whether the judge helped an illegal immigrant avoid arrest.
She was arrested by the FBI and charged with two felony counts
of obstruction and concealment of an individual, and was jailed.
Judge Dugan was later released on her own recognizance after
a few hours. FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney General
Pam Bondi both publicly spoke in support of the arrest of Dugan.
Judge Dugan hired two attorneys to represent her, interestingly
enough both being prominent Republicans: former U.S. Attorney
Stephen M. Biskupic and former U.S. Solicitor General Paul
Clement. One would think that she would have hired some
heavyweight Democrat attorneys, perhaps someone high up in
the hierarchy of the ACLU, as she has strong left-wing political
leanings. That, and most Republicans in government support
Dugan's arrest with some of them calling for her disbarment
while many Democrats oppose her arrest and hail her as a
heroine, a modern day Joan of Arc.
AG Bondi made it clear that judiciary members opposing the
Trump administration's immigration policies would face
prosecution; "If you are harboring a fugitive, we don't care who
you are; we will come after you and we will prosecute you."
Democrat members of Congress and liberals in the judiciary
said that Judge Dugan's arrest was an attempt to intimidate the
courts in order to get them to acquiesce with President Trump's
immigration policies, that this was something they'd expect from
Third World countries, that it defies the Constitution, that this
is a threat to the independence of the judiciary, and a plethora of
similar moanings, groanings, hootings and hollerings one would
expect from lefties.
But the plain and simple truth is, at the end of the day, Judge Hannah
C. Dugan violated the law. While it is true that a judge has authority
over his or her courtroom, the judge is still not allowed to undertake
some certain measures which are outside the bounds of the law ---
among which is the concealment of a defendant from law enforcement
and assisting a defendant in fleeing to avoid arrest. My old friend had
done both. Apparently Her Honor shares the opinion of many on her
side of the political spectrum, thinking President Trump is not only
wrong but tyrannical in wanting to round up as many people illegally
here in our country as possible. Moreover, many of these like-minded
sorts have protested outside of the Federal Courthouse in Milwaukee
where news of Judge Dugan's arrest was made public. While many of
these people may not have much, if any, knack for understanding the
relevant parts of the law (and don't care), Judge Dugan should, and
should also respect the law and its bounds, as the law is what covers
each and every one of us. Judges interpret the law as it applies to each
situation which is at the heart of each case that comes into court.
Sometimes the judge cites the law in telling the plaintiff or defendant
no, you can't do that. But what credibility would a judge have if he
or she violated the law as it is applied to how that judge manages
his or her court?
It's a sad situation that Judge Dugan has gotten caught up in. On one
hand, I feel badly for her. She made a huge mistake in judgement, no
pun intended. On the other hand, your sorrowful Peasant opines that
she must face the lawful consequences of her huge mistake, whatever
they may be. Maybe she'll be fined. Maybe she'll be imprisoned.
Maybe she'll have to give up her judgeship. Maybe she'll have to give
up her license to practice law. Whatever sentence is meted out, Judge
Dugan must face it squarely and accept her just desserts. For our
nation is a nation of laws, not a nation of people who make the laws,
having their political stripes dictate what laws they would write and
what they would mean, and how they would be interpreted, never mind
the Constitution or any court in the judiciary.
Judge Dugan returns to Federal court in July. My guess is that her case
will be decided by November. The next five months will prove telling
for the judge and what her future from that point forward will look like.
MEM
