Former Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan will retain her state pension despite being convicted of a felony for obstruction of justice. Dugan’s conviction was related to her interference with federal immigration agents conducting an arrest outside her courtroom. She announced her resignation on January 3 amid mounting pressure from Republicans in the state Legislature, who were preparing to initiate impeachment proceedings against her.
Under Wisconsin state law, individuals are generally entitled to keep their earned pension benefits, even when facing criminal charges. A spokesperson from the state Department of Employee Trust Funds, which oversees pensions, confirmed that criminal charges typically do not lead to the loss of Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pensions. In a statement, Mark Lamkins emphasized that such pensions are viewed as earned benefits based on an individual’s contributions and eligibility, and therefore cannot be revoked without significant legal justification.
The only exception to this rule is tied to a 2019 law that permits the state to withhold pension payments as restitution for specific crimes, such as felony theft or misconduct in public office, when the crime resulted in a loss to the defendant’s employer. However, this exception does not apply to Dugan’s case.
Dugan, who is appealing her conviction, is not expected to receive prison time due to the non-violent nature of her offense. She was previously acquitted of a misdemeanor charge related to concealing a wanted person. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman has yet to set a sentencing date.
In her resignation letter to Governor Tony Evers, Dugan expressed the belief that citizens deserved a new judge for the approaching year rather than facing a politically charged battle in the Legislature. Consequently, it will be up to Evers to appoint a new judge to fill the vacancy, with the appointee required to stand for election in the following spring for a full six-year term.
Prior to her resignation, Dugan had continued to receive her annual salary of approximately $175,000 after being suspended from her duties on April 29, shortly after the arrest connected to her obstruction charge.
