See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 02:58 BST, 17 June 2026 | Updated: 03:24 BST, 17 June 2026
A judge has granted Joseph Duggar supervised visitation with his four children as the former reality television personality continues to battle child molestation charges stemming from allegations involving a minor during a family vacation in Florida.The ruling came during a court hearing in Bay County, Florida, where Judge Brantley S. Clark considered requests from Duggar's legal team regarding the conditions of his release while he awaits trial.Duggar, 31, who is free on a $600,000 bond, had been unable to see his children since his arrest earlier this year because of restrictions barring contact with minors.During Tuesday's proceedings, his attorney, Albert Sauline, argued that the existing language effectively prevented the father of four from having any interaction with his own children despite the fact that they are not alleged victims in the case.The judge ultimately agreed to modify the conditions enough to allow supervised contact between Duggar and the children he shares with his wife, Kendra Duggar.The decision marks the first time he will be permitted to have contact with them since his arrest in March.But the hearing did not produce a complete victory for the former '19 Kids and Counting' star.Duggar had also asked the court to loosen another bond condition that prevents him from coming within 500 feet of the former Florida residence connected to the alleged victim. Joseph Duggar was granted supervised visitation with his four children during a hearing in Bay County, Florida, on Tuesday Duggar (seen here in court last month) appeared virtually in Bay County, Florida court TuesdayHis attorneys argued the restriction was creating difficulties for his work as a landlord in the area but Judge Clark was unconvinced.The court denied that request, determining that someone else could handle responsibilities in the affected area rather than altering the existing restriction.The latest courtroom developments come as Duggar faces allegations that prosecutors say date back to a 2020 family vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida.According to investigators, a girl who was a child at the time later reported that Duggar engaged in inappropriate conduct during the trip.An arrest affidavit states the accuser alleged that Duggar repeatedly touched her in a sexual manner during the vacation.The Bay County Sheriff's Office has alleged that Duggar repeatedly engaged in unlawful sexual activity involving the underage girl while the families were vacationing together.Investigators said the alleged incidents included occasions when the child sat on Duggar's lap and others in which he allegedly touched her while they were seated together. Authorities also alleged that he asked the girl to sit beside him beneath a blanket on a couch, where investigators say additional inappropriate contact occurred. Joseph and Kendra Duggar were charged in Arkansas with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonmentJoin the discussionShould parents accused of serious crimes ever be allowed supervised visits with their children?What's your view?According to a statement released by the Bay County Sheriff's Office after his arrest, authorities alleged: 'As the vacation continued, he also asked [the victim] to sit next to him on a couch and covered them with a blanket.'Officials further alleged: 'During this time, Duggar manipulated the victim's underwear and grazed her genitals.'The sheriff's office also stated: 'Duggar would also continue to rub his hands on her thighs. The victim stated Duggar eventually apologized for his actions and the incidents stopped after the apology.'Investigators say the alleged victim who was a nine-year-old girl, later told authorities the conduct occurred multiple times during the trip before stopping after Duggar allegedly apologized.The criminal case has rocked the famous Duggar family, whose lives were chronicled for years on TLC through '19 Kids and Counting' and later 'Counting On.'Duggar was arrested in March and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving a child younger than 12, as well as lewd and lascivious behavior involving a victim under separate statutory provisions. He has denied wrongdoing and remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.The legal fallout expanded days after his arrest when both Joseph and Kendra Duggar were charged in Arkansas with four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment. Those charges remain pending.His next scheduled court appearance is set for July 14.
