Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard released a statement about the dismissal of her lawsuit that she shared with her sisters, Jessa, Jinger, and Joy-Anna Duggar.
The women filed suit in 2017, two years after a 2006 police report was made public and revealed them to be the victims of their oldest brother, Josh Duggar.
Earlier this week, a judge dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice.
Jill Duggar isn’t happy about dismissal
In a post on their family blog, Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard released their feelings about the lawsuit being dismissed.
They wrote, “While we appreciate the hard work the Court has put into our case and we highly respect the Judge, we are disappointed with the ruling that the City and County’s statutory immunity protects them from our claims. It is unfortunate that bad actors, under the guise of public service, are given a license to intentionally inflict pain without regard for innocent victims. Immunity exists to protect public servants in the event of human error. It is not to be used as an excuse to cause intentional harm.”
Jill and Derick went on to talk about specifics, including the names of the people in the lawsuit.
Their statement concluded with, “The Judge has made it crystal clear that the reports were illegally released. This should have never happened, and we hope this never happens again to anyone. It is what compelled Derick to change careers and pursue law school in the first place, and we will continue to fight for victims’ rights. In the pursuit of justice, the impact on victims, especially child sex victims, should not be an afterthought, and they should not be relegated to collateral damage. Victims need to be supported and protected, not hung out to dry simply because the end justifies the means. They have been blamed, shamed, and bullied into silence for too long, so why are we surprised that perpetrators continue to be emboldened while victims are punished for their voice. This needs to change, and only then can victims become survivors.”
What’s next for Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard?
Jill Duggar has been busy spending time with her family and enjoying the holiday season without social media. She just returned from more than a month-long social media hiatus.
She shared one of Sam’s big accomplishments while shouting out her sister-in-law, Anna Duggar. Both Jill and Derick Dillard showed empathy for Anna after Josh was convicted on child pornography charges, and he was spotted with her for several days in the courtroom as he attended the trial.
The couple mentioned Derick’s purpose for going into law. He graduated last spring, and now, followers are waiting to see his next move. They have both been vocal about children and their passion for protecting them, and it looks like he is channeling that into his law career.