Overview
- The couple submitted a plea by order and withdrew their not-guilty pleas so they did not have to appear in Elm Springs District Court.
- The plea by order allows the Arkansas case to be diverted for 12 months while it remains open and subject to conditions set by the judge.
- If Joseph and Kendra meet the diversion terms and avoid new offenses during the year the charges can be dismissed without a formal sentencing phase.
- Joseph still faces a separate criminal case in Bay County, Florida, alleging lewd and lascivious conduct from a 2020 incident and pretrial proceedings in that matter remain active.
- Court orders after the March arrests affected the couple’s contact with their four children and public scrutiny of the family is heightened because of the Duggars’ television profile and past legal controversies.