Josh Duggar Molestation Trial Pushed Back: What Did the Judge Say?

Josh Duggar continues to be in the news.

For all the (very, very) wrong reasons.

As you likely know by now, Duggar was arrested in late April on two charges of child pornography possession; he goes to trial in July.

As you may not know, however, Duggar's past of admitted sexual abuse is also about to be at the center of a trial -- one brought on by his own loved ones.

Way back on May 18, 2017, Jill Dillard, Jessa Sewald, Jinger Vuolo, and Joy Duggar filed a lawsuit against Springdale and Washington County officials, alleging they improperly released redacted police investigation documents to the tabloid In Touch.

The celebrity gossip magazine then published this information.

The accusation stems from these four sisters talking to authorities in 2006 about the molestation allegations that had been leveled against their brother.

Jill, Jessa, Jinger and Joy were minors when they were interviewed and were told the documents would only be shared with police officials and child services.

Jinger Duggar on Palm Sunday

(After his behavior was exposed six years ago, Josh was forced to admit that he inappropriately touched five young girls -- including two of his own siblings -- when he was a teenager.)

A few days ago, meanwhile, a federal judge changed the trial date of this lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks pushed the trial from September 20 to December 9 to give the parties more time to prepare.

Jill, Joy

In their legal filing, the Duggar sisters claim that In Touch publicizing their trauma subjected the women and their families "to extreme mental anguish and emotional distress."

Because Josh Duggar has now been arrested and because he will soon faces his own trial, the former reality star's past actions are once again a topic of discussion and debate.

Jinger, for example, recently detailed how she fled Arkansas in the middle of the night in May 2015 after Josh's molestation scandal was made public.

In response to Josh's heinous actions, TLC cancelled 19 Kids and Counting and Josh has not appeared on air since.

Josh Duggar at a Game

Duggar -- who hasn't said anything personally about the new allegations that he downloaded sexually explicit material of minors from his workplace computer -- released the following confession at the time.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret.

"I hurt others, including my family and close friends.

"I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation."

Josh Duggar Close Up

According to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, they entered their teenage son in some sort of counseling program after learning he had touched his sleeping sisters as a 14-year old.

It later came out, though, that this program was run by a family friend and Josh diidn't receive any legitimate counseling of any kind.

“We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling," added Josh in his Facebook statement back in the day.

"I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.”

Josh Duggar and a Child

Also in 2015, Duggar confessed to cheating on his wife with women he met over the Internet.

He then checked into rehab for a porn addiction -- and issued another mea culpa which now, in hindsight, seems especially worthless and revealing.

"I have been the biggest hypocrite ever. While espousing faith and family values, and I became unfaithful to my wife," he said in August 2015.

Anna and Josh Selfie

"I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him," Duggar continued.

"I brought hurt and a reproach to my family, close friends and the fans of our show with my actions that happened when I was 14-15 years old, and now I have re-broken their trust.

"The last few years, while publicly stating I was fighting against immorality in our country, I was hiding my own personal failings."

Josh Duggar Throwback

Concluded Josh Duggar:

As I am learning the hard way, we have the freedom to choose to our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences.

I deeply regret all hurt I have caused so many by being such a bad example.

I humbly ask for your forgiveness.

Please pray for my precious wife Anna and our family during this time.