Judge Robert Hough, a federal immigration judge, asked his superiors in Washington D.C. for permission to come to El Paso and testify in the contempt trial for his colleague and friend defense attorney Stuart Leeds.

Judge Hough, who is scheduling some of his 6,000 cases for 2017, testified that attorney Leeds is tenacious, aggressive and a winner. Attorneys Leeds and Theresa Caballero are on trial for contempt stemming from the case involving former Judge Regina Arditti, who was found not guilty of allegations of nepotism and official misconduct.

Judge Hough is one of more than 80 judges, religious leaders, lawyers and other witnesses expected to testify today on behalf of attorneys Caballero and Leeds.