<p id=”par-1_68″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/josh-duggar/?swcfpc=1″>Josh Duggar,</a> The disgraced <em>19 Kids and Counting</em> star, is currently serving more than 12 years behind bars for possessing and receiving child sexual abuse images. Despite his conviction, his legal team has been working on appeal after appeal. That process might be officially over. Earlier this week, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/josh-duggars-legal-team-prepares-another-appeal-while-his-prison-housing-unit-is-hit-with-contraband-crackdown.html/?swcfpc=1″>the Supreme Court </a>denied Duggar’s appeal request. So, does that mean the convicted sexual predator is out of appeal options?</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-when-was-josh-duggar-arrested-for-downloading-child-sexual-abuse-images”>When was Josh Duggar arrested for downloading child sexual abuse images?</h2>
<p id=”par-2_45″>In April 2021, news broke that Josh Duggar had been arrested. The father of seven surrendered to federal marshals just a week after he and Anna Duggar announced<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/anna-duggar-announces-birth-name-baby-no-7-ahead-josh-duggar-child-pornography-trial.html/”> their seventh pregnancy</a>. The arrest was the result of an 18-month-long investigation into the used car salesman.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” fetchpriority=”high” width=”1200″ height=”682″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-464795596-1.jpg?strip=all&quality=89″ alt=”Josh Duggar speaks during the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort Hotel and Convention Center on February 28,” class=”wp-image-3630753″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Josh Duggar | Kris Connor/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-3_65″>According to court documents, agents from the Department of Homeland Security tracked the downloads of child sexual abuse images back to a computer at a car lot owned by Josh Duggar. They raided the lot in November 2019 and launched an investigation into Josh Duggar. Duggar was booked into a Washington County lockup on Apr. 29. He appeared in front of a judge days later.</p>
<p id=”par-4_67″>Duggar was released to await trial, but he was not allowed to return to his family home. Instead, he had to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/duggar-news-the-keller-family-connected-family-serving-josh-duggars-chaperone.html/”>live with a chaperone</a>. Josh Duggar’s trial began on Nov. 28, 2021. A jury found him guilty on Dec. 9. He was officially sentenced in May 2022 and transferred to FCI Seagoville the following month. He is currently serving a 12-year sentence at the Texas facility.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-josh-duggar-s-legal-team-has-filed-numerous-appeals”>Josh Duggar’s legal team has filed numerous appeals</h2>
<p id=”par-5_37″>Josh Duggar’s legal team insisted they would appeal his conviction when he was found guilty of possessing and receiving child pornography. They’ve done just that, but they’ve had no luck getting the courts to overturn his conviction.</p>
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<p id=”par-6_72″>In January 2022, Josh Duggar’s legal team filed a request for an acquittal. The request argued that the jury got it wrong and that there was insufficient evidence to convict the father of seven. The request was denied. Five months later, Duggar appealed his conviction with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. According to the <a target=”_blank” href=”https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2023/09/28/josh-duggars-hopes-for-a-new-trial-again-shot-down-by-eighth-circuit” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Arkansas Times</a>, the appeal was shut down by the courts in September 2023.</p>
<p id=”par-7_56″>Duggar took his appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court denied his request in June 2024. The Supreme Court’s ruling was a massive blow to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/duggar-family-members-on-hand-josh-duggars-sentencing.html/”>Duggar’s case,</a> but is it the end of the road for the former TV star? Technically, he could appeal again, but it’s unlikely he’ll succeed in having his case heard. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-is-the-disgraced-reality-tv-star-out-of-options”>Is the disgraced reality TV star out of options?</h2>
<p id=”par-8_49″>While the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear Josh Duggar’s case was a major blow, he technically isn’t out of options. The disgraced Duggar can no longer file direct appeals, as the Supreme Court has decided to uphold the lower court’s judgment. He can, however, file a collateral appeal.</p>
<p id=”par-9_86″>According to <a href=”https://federalcriminallawcenter.com/criminal-defense-services/appeals/collateral-appeals-2/#:~:text=Unlike%20a%20direct%20appeal%2C%20which,courts%20somehow%20acted%20illegally%20while” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>the Federal Criminal Law Center</a>, a collateral appeal asks the court to look at new evidence or elements of a case. In short, Duggar would have to prove he was not given a fair trial or that the judicial system acted illegally to get a collateral appeal granted. While collateral appeals are possible, they are often considered a “last resort.” For all intents and purposes, Josh Duggar’s appeals journey is over, and he is very likely to spend his entire prison sentence behind bars.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-3″><img decoding=”async” width=”1200″ height=”725″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/anna-duggar.jpg?strip=all&quality=89″ alt=”Anna Duggar sits for an interview following Josh Duggar’s molestation and cheating scandal” class=”wp-image-3433029″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Anna Duggar | TLC/YouTube</figcaption></figure>
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<p id=”par-10_48″>Duggar is slated to be released from FCI Seagoville in October 2032. Despite the lengthy prison stay, he remains married to Anna Duggar. The mother of seven has not been spotted visiting Josh in recent months, but she does still reside on<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/anna-duggar-registers-a-dog-related-business-in-arkansas.html/”> Jim Bob and Michell Duggar’s property</a>.</p>