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We previously reported that Kendra Caldwell pleaded not guilty to the charges of child endangerment and false imprisonment.
Her disgraced husband, Joseph Duggar, has now done the same.
Unlike his wife, Joseph entering a plea does not mean that he’s allowed to see his kids. Or any kids, given the other charges that he’s facing.
But one detail from the court records may shine a light on the defense’s legal strategy.
He has once again pleaded ‘not guilty’
According to court documents that The Ashley acquired, Joseph entered a not guilty plea to the Arkansas charges.
Like his wife, Kendra, Joseph is facing four charges of false imprisonment and four charges of endangering the welfare of a child. Each charge is in the second degree.
He entered the plea by way of his attorney on Monday, April 27.
One interesting detail is that Joseph and Kendra have the same attorney.
Travis Story has represented the Duggar clan time and time again. In a moment, we’ll explain why this particular gig is a surprise.
Kendra also entered a not guilty plea to the same charges as Joseph. In exchange, she is now allowed contact with her children. (Joseph, obviously, is not.)
(In this Arkansas case. No charges have been filed at her in connection with Joseph’s alleged molestation of a 9-year-old girl in 2020 during a Florida vacation.)
As we previously reported, authorities automatically searched the couple’s home — given the nature of Joseph’s charges.
Inside, investigators uncovered enough for eight charges for each parent. We only know a limited amount, but it appears that the children’s bedrooms locked from the outside, like prison cells.
Though the Duggar world may think nothing of mistreating children — certainly, Jim Bob and Michelle locked the children in their rooms and seemed to think that this was defensible — thankfully, that is not a universal mindset.
Wait, they have the same attorney?
Early in April, we reported on the jailhouse phone conversation between Kendra and Joseph.
“I’ve been talking to Travis,” Kendra revealed to her husband during the awkward call.
“I’ve got him as my attorney now,” she revealed. “I wasn’t sure if you knew that, I’ve asked him to be my attorney.”
Joseph replied: “I wasn’t sure who we settled with but this guy’s good.”
Kendra then corrected him: ‘Well it’s not for you, it’s only for me.” Clearly, that has now changed.
Despite confessing twice prior to his arrest, Joseph pleaded not guilty to molesting the little girl in Florida.
(One can only assume that his attorney intends to get the likely police recording of that second confession removed from evidence. But that is pure speculation.)
The disgraced Duggar is due in court on May 18.
Meanwhile, he and Kendra are both due in court in Arkansas on August 10 of this year.
Given that they now have the same attorney, we can only assume that the legal strategy will not be for, say, Kendra to throw Joseph under the bus when it comes to child endangerment.
That said, we are not legal experts. And it’s possible that Travis Story is only representing them both on a temporary basis — for paperwork and such — before court proceedings move forward in earnest.