FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — On July 28, Josh Duggar’s defense team received an extension of the deadline to file a brief in the appeal of his child pornography conviction.

Duggar, 34, was sentenced on May 25 to 151 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release with a host of special conditions attached. Duggar’s defense team has maintained his innocence throughout the case. He is currently serving his sentence at FCI Seagoville outside Dallas.

“Duggar is appealing his one-count conviction following a criminal jury trial,” the filing states. The motion requesting an additional 30 days to file an appeal brief was unopposed by the prosecution and granted in part by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, with Judge Michael Gans setting a new deadline of August 22.

Given the length of the transcript arising out of this criminal jury trial, the complexity of the possible issues on appeal, and the need for undersigned counsel to confer with Duggar, who is in custody in Texas, Duggar respectfully requests an additional 30 days within which to file his opening brief.

Joshua Duggar motion for extension of brief filing deadline, July 28

The motion noted that this is Duggar’s “first request for an extension of time and this request is not intended to hinder or delay the proceedings.” The defense requested and received multiple extensions during the course of Duggar’s trial and sentencing.

The motion was submitted by Duggar’s defense attorneys, Justin Gelfand and Travis Story. The original deadline for them to submit their appeal brief was August 1.

The appeals court previously released a detailed schedule of deadlines and stated that “dates are only extended upon the filing of a timely motion establishing good cause.” The prosecution will have 21 days after the defense appeal brief is submitted to respond with its own reply brief.

Duggar was unanimously found guilty on a pair of child pornography charges in December, 2021.