Joseph and Kendra Duggar‘s child endangerment case will be diverted for one year following pleas entered Monday, Aug. 10, in an Arkansas district court.
According to court records obtained by local outlet KNWA/FOX24, the Duggars’ attorney, Travis Story, submitted a plea by order on July 10, meaning the case will be placed under advisement for one year.
If the couple complies with a list of conditions during that period, the charges will be dropped. The conditions include not committing any new criminal offenses, remaining in good behavior, following all court orders and any directions from the Arkansas Department of Human Services, and paying $1,850 in fines and costs before the end of the advisement period.
Joseph and Kendra are scheduled for a review hearing on Aug. 4, 2027, at 1 p.m.
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News of the plea by order emerged Monday after the couple were allowed to skip their scheduled court hearing. This gave the judge overseeing the case the opportunity to accept the plea and determine whether the couple will face any penalties.
Joseph, 31, was previously arrested and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor in Florida in March.
Two days later, Joseph and Kendra, 27, were hit with additional child endangerment charges in Arkansas that are unrelated to Joseph’s Florida case. The couple face four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment.
Kendra was released from jail shortly after her arrest after posting a $1,470 bond. Joseph, meanwhile, was released from custody in Florida after posting a $600,000 bond on March 31.
In April, Kendra’s lawyer submitted a motion to dissolve a no-contact order involving her alleged victims. Per the documents, the unnamed victims “have expressed a desire to have contact” with Kendra after she “complied” with the order’s terms.
Later that day, a judge approved the request and dissolved the no-contact order.
“It is further ordered that the Arkansas Department of Human Services is authorized to supervise, communicate and facilitate reunification between the Defendant and the individuals previously covered in the no contact order,” the judge’s ruling read.
Joseph and Kendra have been married since 2017 and share four young children.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
