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Everything in federal prison is fluid, it seems. At the very least, release dates seem to change regularly for at least one inmate. Disgraced 19 Kids and Counting star, Josh Duggar, is currently serving more than a decade behind bars for possessing and receiving child pornography. He’s been housed at FCI Seagoville since his 2022 sentencing, but his release date keeps getting pushed back. Josh Duggar’s release date was changed again recently.

Josh Duggar’s prison stint will last four months longer than his initial release date suggested

As it stands, Josh Duggar will be spending four months longer in lockup than he anticipated when he was initially sentenced. When Judge Timothy L. Brooks sentenced Duggar in 2022, he set the disgraced star’s release date for August 12, 2032. He was shipped off to FCI Seagoville to serve out his time for receiving and processing child pornography.

Since then, Duggar has found himself in a spot of trouble a couple of times, according to several reports. His release date reflects that trouble. In March 2023, the BOP updated his release date to October 2, 2032. According to Us Weekly, the change came after Duggar was found to be in possession of a cell phone, which is contraband inside a federal prison. He reportedly spent time in a special housing unit for the infraction.

Earlier this month, his release date was pushed back to December 23, 2032. The new date suggests there had been another incident involving the former TLC star. It is unclear what Duggar might have done to cause his release date to change yet again.

The disgraced former reality TV star is still appealing his conviction

While Josh Duggar’s release date continues to be pushed further away, he remains active in pursuing appeals. He has been appealing his conviction since he was sentenced. Duggar’s legal team filed his first appeal in October 2022. In court filings, his team noted evidentiary rulings and alleged constitutional violations as reasons for a new trial. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected his request in August 2023. He attempted to have the case reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court, but the request was denied last year.

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Josh Duggar Asks Judge for Court-Appointed Attorney, Says He’s out of Money

While Josh Duggar appears to have lost the backing of his legal team and financial support from his family, he is still fighting his conviction. On May 12, 2025, the convicted felon petitioned an Arkansas federal judge to appoint him new counsel. Duggar said he wanted a lawyer to challenge his conviction on grounds including Brady violations and trial errors, but did not have the financing to hire counsel.

It was largely assumed that Jim Bob Duggar was bankrolling his troubled eldest son’s defense and the legal team that worked on his appeals. It’s unclear why the father of 19 would have pulled his backing at this point. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar certainly aren’t having financial issues. The pair made headlines in the spring after selling a swath of land to Walmart for millions.

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