19 Kids & Counting alum Josh Duggar has asked the court for more time to file his appeal after being sentenced to more than 12 years in prison on child pornography charges, In Touch can confirm. 

Duggar’s counsel filed an unopposed motion on Thursday, September 8, requesting an extension of time to file their opening brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Josh’s team is asking the court for three extra weeks due to the complex nature of the case, according to court documents obtained by In Touch. 

“Given the length of the transcript arising out of this criminal jury trial and the complexity of the possible issues on appeal, Duggar respectfully requests an additional 21 days within which to file his opening brief,” the documents read. If granted, the former reality star’s deadline will shift from its current Monday, September 12, date to Monday, October 3.

Duggar, 34, was arrested in April 2021 and later released on bail

According to a press release shared by the United States Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Arkansas at the time, “Duggar allegedly possessed this material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12.”

While he pleaded not guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, the father of seven was found guilty by an Arkansas jury and taken into custody in December 2021.

“We appreciate the jury’s lengthy deliberations,” his attorneys Justin Gelfand, Ian Murphy and Travis Story said in a statement to E! News following the verdict, adding, “We respect the jury’s verdict, and we intend to appeal.” 

Just days ahead of his May 25 sentencing hearing, a legal expert exclusively revealed to In Touch that appealing his sentence “could be difficult.”

“The specific issues raised on appeal will take time to be heard,” former U.S. Attorney David Haas told In Touch on May 17. “The trial court has already heard these issues so a successful appeal could be difficult.”

Duggar was ultimately sentenced to 151 months in prison and faces up to 20 years of probation upon release. 

While his defense team noted in their Thursday filing that “this is Duggar’s third request for an extension of time,” they went on to explain that “Duggar does not anticipate any further requests for additional time to file his opening brief.”

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