Josh Duggar's company held in contempt of court in real estate lawsuit
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Josh Duggar's company was held in contempt of court on Monday in an ongoing real estate battle, Fox News has confirmed.
The former "19 Kids and Counting" star's company, ALB Investments, LLC, was ordered to appear in Arkansas court to "show cause" in a real estate lawsuit filed by local resident Carl Echols, according to court records.
Echols initially filed the lawsuit against his own cousin, Edward L. Lewis, and Duggar's company in April. Echols claimed he purchased an Arkansas property from Lewis for $17,500 in the early 2000s. However, Echols argued that Duggar purchased the land years later for $1,000 without his knowledge.
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Echols claimed in court documents that he's been paying taxes on the property in question for nearly a decade. He sued Duggar's company for quiet title. Echols accused Lewis of fraud and breach of contract.
Sources confirmed to Fox News that Duggar did not attend Monday's court hearing but his attorney, Travis Story, was present. A judge then entered an order against his company for "contempt."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kesha Chiappinelli, the attorney representing Echols, told Fox News that Duggar's company has until 4 p.m. CST on Tuesday to answer questions related to the case. Chiappinelli claimed that while this does appear to be a responsibility for the company as a whole, it appears Duggar himself is expected to respond.
"So far in the discovery process, we asked for the names of all of the members of ALB Investments," Chiappinelli told Fox News. "The attorney would not answer that question. He said Josh Duggar is the only member of ALB Investments who knew about this issue."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}On Monday, however, Chiappinelli said she learned that the judge presiding over the case found out there may be more members of Duggar's company with knowledge of the alleged issue after all.
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"The goal is just to get answers from ALB Investments," the attorney continued, adding that her client has been waiting on discovery from Duggar's business for "three months."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}If the disgraced TLC star misses the deadline, "the judge said a body attachment will be issued," the attorney said.
Chiappinelli said a body attachment is similar to an "arrest warrant."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meanwhile, Lewis failed to respond to the lawsuit at all. A judgment has been filed against him as a result, Chiappinelli claimed.
Duggar's attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Last month, Duggar was at the center of another potential scandal involving his car dealership in Arkansas. KNWA reported that Homeland Security agents searched the business as part of an ongoing federal investigation. Details of the raid and what was being investigated have yet to be released.