Josh Duggar’s Trial: Everything We Learned About Josh’s Failed Courtship
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The Duggar family might have spent years on television, but that doesn’t mean they shared everything with their audience. In the wake of Josh Duggar’s arrest, Duggar family followers learned quickly that the Duggars hid a lot. During Josh Duggar’s trial, several bombshell statements were made. Still, family followers were most interested to finally learn that Josh had dated someone before Anna Duggar. Josh married his wife, Anna, in 2008. Family critics theorized that Josh Duggar dated Kayleigh Holt, the daughter of Jim and Bobye Holt, long before the information became common knowledge. Bobye Holt confirmed the dating history during her testimony. So, exactly what did we learn about the couple’s relationship?
Bobye Holt revealed details of Josh Duggar and Kayleigh Holt’s courtship
While most of Holt’s testimony centered around Josh inappropriately touching his siblings and a family friend when he was a teen, she did share plenty of details about the courtship that Duggar family followers long suspected. During her testimony, Holt revealed that Josh dated her eldest daughter for “several months” between 2002 and 2003. Holt stated that the two families hoped Josh and Kayleigh Holt would eventually wed. They were just 14 years old when they were a couple.
Josh Duggar and Anna Duggar | Kris Connor/Getty Images
Holt even shared exactly when the couple put their romance on pause. She told the court that the couple ended their relationship on March 30, 2003. Holt revealed that she remembered the date for a specific reason. It was the date that Josh confessed to inappropriately touching several girls, including four of his sisters.
Bobye announced that while they ended the romance, the families thought Josh and Kayleigh might continue their relationship at some point. According to the elder Holt, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar sent Josh to live with the Holt family in 2005. They lost all hope for a renewed romance during Josh’s brief stint in Little Rock, Arkansas, though. Bobye testified that Josh was asked to leave the Holt home for transgressions unrelated to inappropriate touching.
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 11: AJ Calloway with the Duggar family | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra
Kayleigh Holt has since gone on to marry someone else. According to Fandom, she married Rob Tull in 2012. They share five children, although little else is known about the couple. Her youngest child was born in October 2021, just weeks before the elder Holt took the stand at Josh Duggar’s trial. Josh married Anna in 2008. They have seven children.
Kayleigh Holt appeared in the Duggar family’s first TLC special
While Bobye Holt’s testimony shed serious light on the nature of her daughter’s relationship with Josh Duggar, evidence of their relationship was available all along. Before an alleged falling out forced the two families apart, the Holts were close enough to the Duggar family to be featured in their TLC special, 14 Children and Pregnant Again.
The Duggar family | Bill Clark/Roll Call/Getty Images
Not only were the Holts featured in a scene, but Duggar family followers noticed Kayleigh and Josh appeared to be very much an item during the special. According to Reddit users, early airings of the specials showed the eldest Holt daughter gazing at Josh lovingly, similar to how his current wife looked at him when they appeared together on 19 Kids and Counting. Although, the timing would suggest that the couple had put their relationship on hold by the time TLC began filming. Later airings of the special may have limited the Holt family’s participation.
Duggar Family: Which Duggar Kids Were Gifted Homes by Jim Bob Duggar?
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Jessa Seewald went on the defensive this week after fans questioned whether Jim Bob Duggar had gifted her the home she and her family are moving into. While Jessa said followers were “lying” and insisted her father had never given her a home, the question wasn’t entirely off base. Jim Bob has a well-documented history of gifting his married children homes. Jessa received a starter home when she married Ben Seewald, as did several of her siblings. So how many Duggar kids have had housing provided for them?
Two different couple’s called Jessa’s starter house home during the early years of their marriages
Jessa Seewald’s starter home appeared regularly on Counting On, but the house was featured on TLC long before Jessa and Ben moved in. Josh Duggar and his wife, Anna Duggar, moved into the home after returning from their honeymoon in 2008. The couple lived in the house until 2013, when they moved to Washington D.C.
The home sat vacant until Jessa and Ben got married the following year. Jessa and Ben returned from their honeymoon and moved directly into the house. They didn’t become homeowners until 2017, though. According to Radar Online, Grandma Mary Duggar sold them the house for just $1.
Josh and Anna didn’t stay in Washington D.C. for too long. After back-to-back scandals, the couple retreated to Arkansas, where they lived in a farmhouse until 2019. After selling their farmhouse, Josh and Anna moved onto the Duggar property, and into a refurbished warehouse. Josh is currently living in the Washington County Detention Center. His wife and seven children are believed to be living in the warehouse still.
Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell live on Duggar family property
When Josh and Anna sold their farmhouse, they moved back onto the Duggar family compound, but they weren’t the only adult Duggars living on the family’s acreage. Joseph Duggar and his wife, Kendra Caldwell, also live on land owned by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. When Joe and Kendra tied the knot, they opted to have a log cabin, previously owned by Mary Duggar, moved onto the Duggar land.
There is no word on exactly how much the couple paid for the cabin. Most Duggar family critics assume the home was gifted to Joe and Kendra as a wedding present. According to a segment on the family’s show, Counting On, the couple renovated the property and relied on a surplus of furniture at the Duggar compound to make the house feel like home. Three children later, they are still living in the cabin.
Justin Duggar was gifted a mobile home that he later flipped
Justin Duggar, 19, was the youngest Duggar to wed. Engaged just days after turning 18 in November 2020, Duggar family followers initially questioned where Justin would set down roots since his bride lived in Texas. Shortly before their wedding, Justin purchased a mobile home from Jim Bob Duggar for $1.
The Duggar family visits ‘Extra’ at their New York studios | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra
Duggar family followers assumed Justin and Claire Spivey would be living in Arkansas thanks to the generous gift. That wasn’t part of the plan, though. According to the U.S. Sun, Justin listed the house for sale in January 2021, just a month before his nuptials. Justin and Claire are living in Texas.
Joy-Anna Forsyth and Austin Forsyth purchased a pad from Jim Bob for a steal, too
Justin, Joseph, and Jessa weren’t the only Duggars who were given a chance to buy a home on the cheap. After a few years of living in a camper, Joy-Anna Forsyth and her husband, Austin Forsyth, decided to trade in their wheels for a traditional home. They purchased a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house for just $10. The previous owners were none other than Jim Bob and Michelle.
Joy and Austin, like her siblings, picked up the house for a steal, but the couple was reportedly responsible for its renovations. Joy and Austin documented the process on their YouTube channel. They gutted the kitchen and laid down new wood floors before settling into life as a family of four.
While the nature of Jessa and Ben’s newest property procurement remains a bit of a mystery, it’s safe to say that several of the Duggar kids have been gifted properties by their parents. Whether they are paying more than $1 for those properties in a more casual transfer of funds is anyone’s guess, but legally the Duggar siblings have paid less than the price of the average lunch for the homes they sleep in at night.
RELATED: Josh Duggar’s Jailhouse Calls Include Chats With Wife and Brother’s in-Laws
Duggar News: Duggar Family Sisters Seek Money for a ‘Life Care Plan’ Involving ‘Therapeutic Intervention’ in April 2022 Court Case
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Josh Duggar’s trial dominated the recent Duggar news through November and December 2021. Now, it’s the Duggar family sisters who are taking over the headlines. Several of the sisters filed a lawsuit after the media published private records from 2015. And sources now claim the sisters want “therapeutic intervention” and a “life care plan” for what occurred.
Several Duggar family sisters filed a lawsuit over an incident concerning the police and Josh Duggar in 2015
(L-R) Jessa Duggar, Jinger Duggar, Jill Duggar, and Jana Duggar visit ‘Extra’ | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra
Josh Duggar’s trial brought Duggar news to the forefront of the media in 2021. Prior to 2021, Josh made the news in 2015. In 2015, the media caught wind that Josh went to the police in the early 2000s over allegedly molesting a number of young girls, a few of whom were his sisters. The media then leaked the report. The Duggar sisters directly affected later spoke publicly about this.
Now, the sisters want justice for the leak. According to The Sun, in 2017, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna Duggar sued the city of Springdale. They also sued the owner of In Touch magazine and others involved in the scandal. The sisters claimed the release of the records caused them “extreme mental anguish and emotional distress.”
The trial for the case will begin in April 2022.
Duggar news: The Duggar sisters will fight for ‘therapeutic intervention’ for what they went through
Jessa Duggar, Jinger Duggar, Joy-Anna Duggar, and Jana Duggar | Ida Mae Astute/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Recent Duggar news gives more information about the lawsuit. According to The Sun, the attorney for the Duggar sisters told the judge the sisters would not “seek any damages for lost wages, lost past earnings, or lost future earnings.” Instead, the attorney wants to fight for the sisters to have a “life care plan” that can cover the costs of “therapeutic intervention.”
“We want a life care plan involving the cost of therapeutic intervention in these four women’s lives over a period of time to address the emotional issues that are arisen from this nationwide disclosure since they’re public figures,” the attorney told the judge.
It seems Josh Duggar’s trial may impact the Duggar sisters’ case, too. “If there is a trial, the damages could be cut as a consequence of Josh’s conviction,” an insider explained to The Sun.
Where is Josh Duggar now?
While the Duggar family gathered for a massive Christmas celebration, Josh’s wife Anna seemed to noticeably be missing as he remains jailed until sentencing.https://t.co/NJ4QDAD9kK — In Touch Weekly (@intouchweekly) December 28, 2021
With everything going on with the Duggar family sisters, where is Josh Duggar now? After Josh’s trial and guilty verdict, he went directly to the Washington County jail to stay in solitary confinement. He will remain there until sentencing.
Josh can take video calls from family. But he cannot see them in person due to current coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, The Sun reports.
After the trial, probation officials create a pre-sentence report. This takes between 30 and 45 days, People reports. “Then each side will have two weeks to study the report and to make objections,” Clay Fowlkes, acting United States attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, told the publication. “Then, after that report is issued, studied, all the objections are filed, that’s when we’ll really start thinking about what our sentencing recommendation to the court is going to be.”
The same judge who presided over Josh’s trial will issue the sentence.
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RELATED: Anna Duggar Is Taking Time Away From the Duggar Family and ‘Leaning On’ Her Side of the Family ‘More Than Ever,’ Insiders Claim
Josh Duggar: Was Anna Duggar’s Family Shocked by Josh’s 2008 Proposal?
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Josh Duggar and Anna Duggar’s marriage is certainly in a weird place. The troubled former reality TV star will likely spend the next several years behind bars, and his wife of 13 years will need to figure out how to raise their seven children largely unassisted. The couple’s marriage always struck some Duggar family followers as strange, though. In fact, some critics think the Anna Duggar and the Keller family had no idea Josh was planning to propose back in 2008.
There is evidence to suggest Josh and Anna Duggar did not have a courtship.
While Josh and Anna have been married for more than a decade at this point, Duggar family followers still feel uneasy about the union. There is good reason, too. There is a fair bit of circumstantial evidence to suggest an actual marriage proposal was not supposed to be a part of Josh’s trip to Florida back in 2008.
In a 19 Kids and Counting episode covering Josh and Anna’s engagement, Michelle Duggar clearly stated that Anna had agreed not to court until she turned 20. Josh proposed marriage on Anna’s 20th birthday, and she accepted. While it was never specifically stated, Duggar family critics have inferred that Josh and Anna did not have a courtship. They skipped courting entirely and began planning a wedding.
The couple’s engagement was not a long one, either. They became engaged at the end of June 2008. They got married in September 2008. The couple also appeared to spend limited time together in the months leading up to their marriage.
Did the Kellers know Josh Duggar was planning to propose?
The short engagement isn’t the strangest thing about Josh and Anna’s relationship timeline. In fact, that’s the most normal thing about their process. At least when compared to other couples in their social circle. The lack of a courtship however is strange. The missing courtship and Michelle’s words led some family followers to question whether Anna’s mother and father were even aware an actual proposal was happening when they helped Josh set up his big surprise.
Anna Duggar and Josh Duggar pose during the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) | Kris Connor/Getty Images
Duggar family critics argue that Mike Keller seemed to use the term “courtship” multiple times during scenes from before the actual proposal. He said that Anna didn’t know if Josh had any interest in her even just a few months before the surprise proposal. While the Keller family has never said it, Duggar family critics believe the Keller family thought Josh was flying in to propose a courtship, not a marriage.
Duggar family followers believe TLC cameras caught an awkward moment on film
Josh and Anna’s engagement felt forced and awkward when TLC originally aired the footage. Most viewers chalked that up to the couple’s excitement and inexperience. Family critics have never been sure about that. In recent years, Reddit users have gone back over the footage. With the help of hindsight, critics have begun to read into Anna’s body language. Anna appeared surprised and a bit uncomfortable about Josh’s sudden appearance. Initially, the Duggar family wrote off Anna’s shock as a woman who was just surprised to see her boyfriend.
Fans are now theorizing that Anna was shocked to see Josh because she didn’t know him all that well. They think she had no idea he was even interested in her at the time. We’ll likely never know whether that theory holds water. Anna is unlikely to go against her husband. Josh, along with his parents, has a pretty good reason to stick to the original story. What Anna chooses to do moving forward remains of interest, though. The mother of seven has gone largely underground since Josh’s guilty verdict in December 2021. While there are rumors that she is considering leaving the marriage, she hasn’t made any public moves yet.
RELATED: Josh Duggar Reportedly Receiving Daily Video Calls From Wife, Anna Duggar
Jinger Duggar Vuolo Shares Sad Family News
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Jinger Duggar Vuolo Shares Sad Family News
Over the last several months, there has rarely been a day where the Duggar family hasn’t made headlines. Given the circumstances surrounding Josh Duggar and his trial, fans of “19 Kids and Counting” and the spin-off, “Counting On,” have been learning more about the family they once thought was a good example, realizing that may not be the case at all (via Us Weekly).
While the charges against Josh are extremely disturbing, some fans are still keeping up with their favorite Duggar family members. According to TV Shows Ace, fan-favorite Duggars are typically the ones who have separated themselves from Josh and the rest of the family. When fans are asked who their favorite Duggar is, Jinger always makes the top of the list. They can’t get enough of what they believe is Jinger finding ways to be her own person outside her family’s control. She was the first to wear pants and branch out to form her own opinions while she moved across the country with her husband, Jeremy Vuolo (per Distractify).
Though the drama surrounding the Duggars is intense, fans still remain loyal to certain family members. That’s why when Jinger shared tragic family news, they joined together in mourning.