On Thursday, November 6, 2025, TMJ4 News reported that the federal case against Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan is moving closer to trial, with jury selection set to begin for her trial scheduled for December 15. Dugan faces federal charges for allegedly assisting an undocumented immigrant, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, in evading arrest by federal ICE agents. Ruiz is expected to be deported soon.
The case has garnered significant attention due to the involvement of a sitting judge facing federal accusations. Lawyers representing both the government and the defense convened in federal court on Thursday to establish the groundwork for jury selection. The process commenced with the distribution of detailed questionnaires to potential jurors spanning a 12-county region in southeastern Wisconsin.
Out of 128 questionnaires dispatched, 114 individuals have submitted their responses. This pool will be narrowed down as lawyers from each side exercise their right to strike potential jurors from the list. The objective is to create a potential jury pool comprising a few dozen individuals when the final jury selection process commences on December 11, just days before the trial. The court requires a panel of 12 jurors, along with two to three alternates, for the duration of the trial.
A challenge in securing jurors is the trial’s timing, which falls during the holiday season, commencing merely 10 days before Christmas. The trial is anticipated to potentially last four to five days. Public access to observe the proceedings will be restricted, as cameras are prohibited in federal courtrooms, unlike state court cases. However, limited space will be available for the public to observe or listen to the trial within the federal courthouse.
Dugan has not been required to attend the pre-trial hearings and has not been present at all of them. However, her presence will be mandatory during the trial itself. Judge Dugan remains suspended from her judicial responsibilities in Milwaukee County while awaiting trial. Despite the suspension, she continues to receive her salary of $174,500.
Source: TMJ4 News
