A Wisconsin judge’s role in the judiciary hangs in the balance following her conviction in a heated prosecution linked to the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies.

Hannah Dugan, on Thursday, faced a federal jury that found her guilty of one felony charge—obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a U.S. department or agency. However, the jury acquitted her of a misdemeanor charge related to concealing an individual to prevent arrest.

This mixed verdict culminates a period of intense legal maneuvering as both prosecution and defense sought strategic advantage in this widely publicized case.

Federal authorities accused Dugan of interfering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during an immigration operation at a Milwaukee courthouse. It was alleged that she assisted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national charged with misdemeanor battery, in evading arrest by using a jury door to exit after a court hearing.

The incident took place on April 18, and within a week, Dugan faced charges via a criminal complaint. The Wisconsin Supreme Court quickly suspended her judicial duties, and she was formally indicted by the end of May.

During the bust, Dugan told ICE agents they needed to obtain a judicial warrant to take Flores-Ruiz into custody. Later, a deputy working in the courthouse provided information to federal investigators.

The four-day trial was overseen by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, a Bill Clinton appointee. Jury selection began on Dec. 11.

During the proceedings, Dugan herself did not take the stand.

In typical fashion, federal prosecutors painstakingly laid out their arguments over the majority of the trial, according to a courtroom report by Milwaukee-based Fox affiliate WITI. On the final day, the defense began its own presentation, ultimately calling four witnesses.

At 2:24 p.m. CST, the jury began deliberations.

After a series of questions about an exhibit show during the trial, Dugan’s knowledge of an outstanding warrant, a legal standard expressed in the jury instructions, and ordering dinner, jurors ended their deliberations at 8:32 p.m., the local TV station reported.

Dugan was represented by several lawyers in the case and secured support from a broader constellation of legal experts and professionals early on when 138 former state and federal judges called for a dismissal of the charges in an amicus brief filed May 30.

The bipartisan group of lawyers excoriated Dugan’s arrest and prosecution as “an extraordinary and direct assault on the independence of the entire judicial system,” echoing statements made by Dugan in one of her failed motions to dismiss the charges.

In the end, however, Adelman decided the matter was ripe for consideration by a collection of Dugan’s peers – though the court did not act with haste, despite a defense request to move forward quickly.

The defense released a statement bemoaning the verdict.

“While we are disappointed in today’s outcome, the failure of the prosecution to secure convictions on both counts demonstrates the opportunity we have to clear Judge Dugan’s name and show she did nothing wrong in this matter,” the statement reads. “We have planned for this potential outcome and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning. This trial required considerable resources to prepare for and public support for Judge Dugan’s defense fund is critical as we prepare for the next phase of this defense.”

Obstruction carries a potential maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, according to federal law. But such an outcome is exceedingly unlikely due to Dugan’s lack of a criminal record and the facts of the case itself – the sought-after criminal defendant was eventually detained and then deported in November.

“Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a previously removed illegal alien has a laundry list of violent criminal charges, including strangulation and suffocation, battery, and domestic abuse,” ICE Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said after the man’s removal. “Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE law enforcement, this criminal is OUT of our country.”