Jill, Jessa, Jinger and Joy-Anna scored an early victory in their lawsuit related to the molestation case. The judge on Friday ruled mostly in favor of the Duggar sisters, and their case will now move forward.
The Duggar sisters filed a lawsuit in May for the alleged breach of their privacy when Arkansas authorities released investigation documents to In Touch Weekly related to Josh Duggar molesting his sisters when he was a teen. The defendants in the case include the city of Springdale and Washington County, Arkansas, the parent company of the celebrity magazine, and Springdale City Attorney Ernest Cate, Springdale Police Chief Cathy O'Kelley, Sheriff's Office enforcement major Rick Hoyt and Washington County Attorney Steve Zega.
Officials sought limited liabilities
Arkansas officials filed a motion to dismiss the case and asked the judge for immunity. They argued that the information released was public knowledge. On Friday, Judge Timothy L. Brooks ruled that Cate and Zega were exempt from the official capacity claims, as reported by Starcasm. They were advisors only and did not have “final policymaking authority.”
Attorney Justin Eichmann, the Springdale defendants’ lawyer, argued that the officials believed they were allowed to release a redacted copy of the investigation report. He added that the Arkansas Juvenile Code does not apply in this case because there were no arrests, detentions or any criminal proceedings that happened, via Insurance Journal.
Aside from granting Cate and Zega the exemption, Judge Brooks mostly ruled in favor of the Duggar sisters, accepting all their factual allegations as true within reason. Judge Brooks recognized that under the Arkansas State Statute, the authorities were not allowed to disclose the investigation details under the Freedom of Information Act.
Friday’s ruling does not guarantee Duggar win
Meanwhile, the judge clarified that his ruling to allow the Duggar sisters’ case does not guarantee that they will win or not. The details, he explained, will be revealed by the discovery process.
Other defendants also filed their motions to dismiss and sought limited liabilities.
Josh Duggar, who initially joined his sisters in the case, filed a separate lawsuit to seek compensation for himself.
Jill Dillard, Jessa Seewald, Jinger Vuolo and Joy-Anna Forsyth are daughters of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar who were featured in reality show “19 Kids and Counting.” Their show was canceled after the child molestation scandal broke two years ago.
