A recently released surveillance video has brought national attention to a controversial incident at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, where Judge Hannah Dugan is accused of interfering with federal agents attempting to arrest a man in the country illegally.

On April 18, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz appeared before Judge Dugan on charges of battery and domestic abuse. His alleged involvement in a violent altercation with his roommates had brought him to the attention of local law enforcement. Federal authorities, upon reviewing his background, determined that Flores-Ruiz was unlawfully present in the United States and had previously been deported in 2013. They prepared to arrest him following his court appearance.

What unfolded next, according to federal prosecutors, has now become the basis of criminal charges against Judge Dugan.

Video footage released by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office shows Dugan engaging in a conversation with federal agents outside her courtroom shortly after Flores-Ruiz’s hearing. The agents had positioned themselves to take him into custody once he exited court. However, prosecutors allege that Dugan used the opportunity to mislead and distract the agents, advising them to consult with the chief judge.

While the agents were redirected, surveillance footage captured Flores-Ruiz exiting the courtroom—not through the public corridor where agents waited—but via a restricted jury door, accompanied by his attorney. From there, he was seen taking an elevator and leaving the courthouse through an alternate exit.

Security footage then shows Flores-Ruiz running down 10th Street, moments before he was intercepted and apprehended by federal officers.

Federal prosecutors argue that Judge Dugan’s conduct—directing the agents away from the courtroom and allowing the defendant to use a restricted exit—was an intentional act to hinder the arrest. One week later, Dugan was arrested at the same courthouse and charged with obstructing justice and concealing a person from federal custody.

A federal grand jury indicted Dugan on May 13, finding sufficient grounds to move the case forward. She has pleaded not guilty and is currently awaiting trial. Her legal team has filed a motion to dismiss the charges, citing judicial immunity, which protects judges from liability for actions performed within their official roles. However, the legal question at the heart of the matter is whether her actions fell within the scope of her duties—or crossed into obstruction.

In response to the indictment, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an administrative order temporarily relieving Judge Dugan of her duties. The order prohibits her from acting in any judicial capacity until further notice, effectively placing her role as a circuit court judge on hold while the case proceeds.

Flores-Ruiz, meanwhile, faces his own legal battles. In addition to his local charges for battery and domestic violence, he now stands accused of reentering the U.S. illegally after his 2013 deportation. Like Dugan, he has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and is scheduled for a final pretrial conference on June 24. A separate hearing for his initial battery case is set for June 18.

Federal prosecutors describe the battery incident as a serious act of violence. According to the criminal complaint, Flores-Ruiz allegedly assaulted a male roommate repeatedly—striking him approximately 30 times, knocking him to the ground, and choking him—before turning on a female roommate and inflicting injuries that required hospital treatment for both victims.

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi voiced sharp criticism of Dugan during an appearance on Fox News, stating that the judge’s alleged actions undermine trust in the justice system. Bondi expressed disbelief that a sitting judge would intervene in such a case, particularly one involving domestic violence.

“You cannot obstruct a criminal case,” Bondi said. “And really, shame on her. It was a domestic violence case, of all cases, and she’s protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime.”

While the outcome of both trials remains uncertain, the case has sparked wider conversations about the responsibilities and boundaries of judicial authority, especially when local cases intersect with federal law enforcement. For now, Judge Dugan’s future on the bench—and the resolution of Flores-Ruiz’s legal troubles—will be decided in the coming months in a courtroom not unlike the one where the story began.