Josh Duggar Facing Lawsuit? ’19 Kids And Counting’ Star May Face Suit From Molestation Victim
Though the drama surrounding the Duggar family and 19 Kids and Counting had died down a bit, a new report indicates that there may be a Josh Duggar lawsuit brewing. The time limitations from a criminal standpoint related to the molestation incidents may have passed already, but a new report indicates that one of Josh’s victims may be considering a civil lawsuit. What’s the scoop?
InTouch reports that the molestation victim who is not a member of the Duggar family is preparing to file a civil lawsuit against Josh Duggar. If the suit does indeed move forward, it seems that Josh and his parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, would face depositions and possibly need to testify in court. This could certainly get hairy, as the site reports that the family could not invoke their Fifth Amendment rights due to the statute of limitations running out on the criminal side.
Though TLC has pulled all episodes of 19 Kids and Counting for now, they have not yet officially canceled the show. There had been some buzz about a possible spin-off involving Jill and Jessa, but the network hasn’t shown any signs of moving forward on that front. Given how Jill, Derick, and Israel are heading in a new direction and pursuing international ministry, it would seem that the Duggars may be preparing to bid farewell to the television cameras.
In terms of the Josh Duggar lawsuit, it seems that this unnamed victim does indeed still have the ability to file a civil lawsuit under Arkansas law. As Raw Story notes, the police report revealed that the five victims included four of Josh’s sisters plus a non-related babysitter who had been at the Duggar home. Jill and Jessa came forward and did an interview addressing the incidents, though the other victims have not been publicly named.
As was previously reported by the Inquisitr, sources indicate that the babysitter who is not a Duggar family member is considering a suit not only because of the molestation, but also because of how the family handled the situation with their Fox News interviews. Though there are a lot of 19 Kids fans standing by Josh, Michelle, Jim Bob, and the full family, there have been plenty of critics as well. Many felt that the family came off looking poorly in the Fox interviews and it seems likely that this victim would have a lot of support should she move forward with a lawsuit.
If indeed this victim does file a lawsuit, Josh Duggar and his parents could find themselves scrambling. Most would imagine that a civil lawsuit would likely become the final nail in the coffin in terms of TLC and any possible moves to put 19 Kids and Counting back on the air. For now, everybody will have to stay tuned and see if anything formally develops along the lines of the reported Josh Duggar lawsuit from this former victim.
[Image via Newslocker]
