A judge decided on lawsuits filed by Duggar Family members. The Reality TV stars of "Counting On" sued police and a media source for making public incest and pedophilia perpetrated by "19 Kids and Counting" star Josh Duggar against his sisters. Jill Duggar Dillard, Jessa Duggar Seewald, Jinger Duggar Vuolo and Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth claim Springdale, Arkansas cops and In Touch Weekly failed to protect their privacy.
The pedophile himself sued on privacy invasion. Both parties are seeking monetary damages.
'Counting On' stars feel more violated by cops than brother
The siblings of "19 Kids and Counting" have several lawsuits going. Married sisters Jill Dillard, Jessa Seewald, Jinger Vuolo and Joy Forsyth filed suits against Washington County, the City of Springdale and Bauer (parent company of InTouch Weekly. The publisher filed a request for names of Josh Duggar's sexual assault victims which authorities released under the Freedom of Information Act. The "Counting On" girls, who were minors at the time, say media and authorities violated their rights making the decade-old report public.
Josh is suing all three entities separately.
Duggars win some, lose some
Judge Timothy Brooks settled the case against city and county authorities in the Duggars' favor, agreeing that minor incest victims shouldn't be named. What damages the "19 Kids and Counting" Celebrities will receive has not been determined. But he tossed out the "Counting On" sisters' claim against Bauer saying that a news source may print true, legally obtained reports under the Freedom of Information Act. He agreed with Bauer that to punish the printing of such details would violate the company's first amendment rights.
'19 Kids and Counting' star loses all lawsuits
The celebrity of reality TV was 15 when he sexually molested his sisters.
Dad Jim Bob Duggar caught him and kept quiet. When the "Counting On" patriarch caught his son at it again, he called the police. But no arrests were made. Folks assumed that Jim Bob or Michelle Duggar refused to press charges on behalf of their girls against their son. Josh said he was promised privacy if he confessed and sued over the release of his name. The judge tossed all his claims.
Judge's ruling confuses
Fans of TLC "Counting On" fans have expressed confusion as to why Judge Brooks would in favor of the media printing the Duggars' names but against police for releasing them. He said the police weren't necessarily required to make public such information and that the "19 Kids and Counting" victims should have been shielded as minors even though they were not minors when the report came out.
Some reality television viewers wondered why the girls' failed due process claims. when no arrests were made. Authorities say they were just doing their jobs and have faulted the Duggar family for wasting police time and taxpayer money.