What to Know
As the case for Joseph Duggar progresses, he’s taking care of other business… or at least, he’s attempting to. His pre-trial hearing isn’t happening until July, but in the meantime, he’s asking a judge if he can be allowed near his alleged victim’s former home. According to him, the home has been left “abandoned,” and he needs to get within 500 feet of the place to be able to do maintenance on real estate that he owns.
Joseph’s no contact order extends to his location.
Earlier this week, TMZ reported that Joseph has filed an amendment to the no contact order that was part of the conditions of his release following his arrest on charges involving the abuse of a then 9-year-old girl. Since the order that keeps him from communicating with his alleged victim, it also restricts his motion, leaving him unable to maintain properties that he owns that he says are close to her former home.
People reported that Joseph said the victim and her family “have abandoned their residence, no longer residing at the previously listed address,” so being on the property wouldn’t put him anywhere near her anyway.
He claims extensive maintenance needs to be done.
The court documents state that as long as the no contact order is in place, he’s unable to perform maintenance on six properties that he owns, including removing an “old dilapidated shed.” Joseph added that he also needs to take care of tasks like mowing grass and other landscaping, painting, and doing repairs — sounds like the typical landlord stuff, though he didn’t mention whether or not those properties in need of maintenance are currently being rented out by anyone.
Of course, Joseph could simply hire someone to take care of this maintenance if he isn’t able to legally be on the property, but it sounds like these are tasks he’d rather take care of himself.
This isn’t the only request he’s making to the judge.
After Joseph was released from a Bay County, Florida jail on a $600,000 bail on March 31, he was ordered no unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, and due to the additional child endangerment charges he and his wife Kendra were hit with after their home was investigated, he is also unable to have any contact with the four children the couple shares.
In his previous amendment, Joseph asked if he could be able to communicate with his kids again, claiming that he hasn’t spoken to any of them in two months, which is “creating a hardship for the family unit.”
Kendra has since been able to reunite with her kids, but it sounds like Joseph will still be cut off until that July 14 hearing, if not longer. If he’s allowed back on his property, though, he’ll probably be so busy ripping down that shed that time will fly.
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