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Wisconsin Supreme Court Declines to Suspend Ex-Judge Hannah Dugan’s Law License

The court ordered show‑cause disciplinary proceedings that leave her bar status active while regulators pursue a formal complaint.

Overview

  • A federal jury convicted Hannah Dugan of a felony obstruction charge in December for actions that prosecutors say helped a man evade ICE at the courthouse.
  • Dugan was fined $5,000 at her July 8 sentencing and resigned from the Milwaukee County judgeship after threats of impeachment.
  • The Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation asked on July 21 for a summary suspension of Dugan’s law license, and Dugan filed a written opposition on August 11.
  • On September 16 the state Supreme Court declined to summarily suspend her license and instead ordered Dugan to show cause in a full disciplinary proceeding, with Justices Annette Ziegler and Brian Hagedorn dissenting.
  • The decision leaves Dugan’s license active for now but allows the OLR’s formal process to seek suspension or disbarment later, and it highlights a split on how the court handles post‑conviction lawyer discipline.