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Josh Duggar's latest attempt to overturn his conviction has been rejected, with a federal judge ruling his explanation for missing filing deadlines was "not credible."
The former 19 Kids and Counting star, who is serving 12 years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, filed a motion claiming his constitutional rights had been violated. However, U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks denied the request, citing that Duggar's appeal was submitted too late.
Court records show the U.S. Attorney's Office received Duggar's appeal on July 29, 2025, over a month past the deadline, while the court itself did not receive a copy until August. Duggar argued that the "prison mailbox rule" should apply, which allows filings to be considered timely if deposited in a prison's mailing system by the deadline.
But Judge Brooks dismissed Duggar's account of when and how the documents were mailed. "The Court can grant Mr. Duggar one coincidence. Perhaps even two or three odd happenstances. But Mr. Duggar is asking the Court to believe something akin to a magic bullet theory—a sequential chain of events that defies common sense. Collectively, this chain of events—where Murphy's law was lurking at every turn—is simply not credible," he wrote.
Duggar was convicted in December 2021 and sentenced in 2022 to 12 and a half years in prison. His release date is currently set for February 2033.
Following the ruling, Duggar was transferred from FCI Seagoville, a low-security prison in Texas, to the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth. The facility houses inmates requiring medical or mental health services, though transfers do not always indicate a medical condition. The prison is also home to Tiger King star Joe Exotic.
The move comes as Duggar continues to serve his sentence, which followed years of controversy. TLC canceled 19 Kids and Counting in 2015 after reports surfaced that Duggar had molested several girls as a teenager, four of whom were his sisters. He later admitted to using Ashley Madison to pursue extramarital affairs and entered rehab for pornography addiction.
