Josh Duggar Requests to Be Released on Bond in Child Pornography Case

Josh Duggar's attorneys requested he be released on bail so he can be with his pregnant wife, Anna, and their six children ahead of his trial in July.

By Cydney Contreras May 05, 2021 12:38 AMTags
Watch: Josh Duggar Pleads Not Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

Josh Duggar is asking to be released on bail following his arrest on April 29.

On Tuesday, May 4, the former TLC star's legal representatives submitted a request for Josh to be released on bail under a "combination of conditions," according to court documents obtained by E! News. The documents read, "Duggar is requesting that this court permit him to return home to his immediate family during the pendency of this case," adding that his wife, Anna Duggar, is pregnant and at home with their six children. 

In a previous court hearing, held virtually on Friday, April 30, a judge proposed Josh live with a third-party custodian if he is granted release. The judge also stated that Josh is not allowed to reside in the same residence as minor children. 

Josh's attorney rejected this notion, writing in the opposition that the former reality star "continued to reside with his wife and raise his six children" in Arkansas, even after the authorities raided his former workplace.

Moreover, Josh gave investigators his "unfettered cooperation" throughout their investigation, according to the documents.

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The Complete Duggar Family Tree

The documents alternatively propose that Josh stay with a third-party custodian, who has no minor children living at their residence.

Washington County AR Sheriff department

A judge will have the final say on the matter when Josh appears in court on Wednesday, May 5. 

According to an indictment obtained by E! News, a grand jury charged Josh with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography in 2019. He pleaded not guilty to both charges during the April 30 hearing.

"We intend to defend this case aggressively and thoroughly," Josh's attorney said in a statement at the time. "In this country, no one can stop prosecutors from charging a crime. But when you're accused, you can fight back in the courtroom—and that is exactly what Josh intends to do."

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Josh's parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, also released a statement concerning Josh's arrest, saying, in part, that they pray for truth "no matter" what the outcome is. They also requested privacy as they process the "very serious" accusations.

In 2015, Josh was previously accused in a police report of molesting five underage girls, four of which were later alleged to be his sisters. Josh was never formally charged and the Duggar family's TLC reality series 19 Kids and Counting was cancelled.