Former ‘Counting On’ Star Derick Dillard Hints He May Take Legal Action Against TLC; Accuses Jim Bob Duggar of Withholding TV Money From Duggar Kids

“Gather ’round… it’s tea-spilling time!”

Things are going to be pretty awkward this holiday season at the Duggar Compound …thanks to Derick Dillard‘s latest social media slam against father-in-law Jim Bob Duggar

The former Counting On star and husband of Jill Duggar took to Twitter this week to answer questions from his followers, with most of the interactions focused on his grievances against Jill dad’s Jim Bob and how the profits for the family’s TLC TV shows were handled.

Derick has spoken out before about the lack of money he and Jill received from appearing on ‘Counting On’ and 19 Kids & Counting, but this week’s tweets had Derick hinting that he plans to take legal action against the network for it! 

According to Derick, Jim Bob served as the negotiator of TLC contracts “for everyone, but without telling anyone” — for both ‘Counting On’ and ’19 Kids and Counting.’ 

Derick and Jill no longer appear on ‘Counting On’; however, Derick’s comments align with his previous claim that Jim Bob keeps all of the money made from the family’s TLC shows and that the adult kids and their spouses are simply “volunteer” stars on the show. Derick first made these claims in 2018 and the topic came up again last month during another social media rant. 

Along with accusations that Jim Bob has been hoarding the family funds, Derick has criticized TLC for allegedly refusing to help he and Jill with medical expenses incurred while filming for the show. According to Derick, the network made money off of their son’s birth and time spent in the NICU by turning the incident into a “Very Special Episode” of the family’s show. According to Derick, though, the couple was never reimbursed the “$5,000 to $10,000 for medical expenses.” 

Raise your hand if you feel personally victimized by Jim Bob Duggar and TLC…

Derick’s rant against TLC and Jim Bob continued this week after a Twitter follower stated that the network shouldn’t allow Jim Bob to negotiate contracts for the adult children featured on ‘Counting On.’ 

“Yeah, but all @TLC is worried about is making that money, so if they can blame corruption on somebody else, but still get away with the benefits, then they’ll happily do so,” Derick replied. 

Derick then went on to drop a Duggar-sized bomb, hinting that he may be taking legal action against the network. 

“@TLC has issues,” he said. “They begged us not to [quit] filming, but then didn’t want to talk directly with us about why. If money is all they care about, then it’s going to catch-up with them–you must care about ppl. All I’ve got to say is, they better lawyer-up, b/c a storm is inevitable.” 

Derick– who is currently in law school himself— didn’t indicate whether suing TLC was a new idea, or an idea he had tossed around in the past. However, some critics fired back at him online, accusing him of misdirecting his plan to take legal action. 

“This is naive and not even a little bit true,” one comment read. “TLC doesn’t owe you anything in our society. Discovery Inc. is lawyered to the brim. You have ‘nothing’ on them, they would bury you in legal fees into oblivion. If you want to sue someone, sue your father in law.” 

“Hush! Don’t give him any ideas!”

Derick argued that the individual didn’t “understand how our legal system works” and insisted that just because TLC has resources, it doesn’t mean they “get a pass on justice.” 

When a second person attempted to tell Derick that the network didn’t legally owe him anything, he dismissed that argument as well. 

“You talk as though you know what happens behind closed doors,” he replied. “You don’t know our story.” 

Season 10 of ‘Counting On’ is currently airing on TLC…without Jill, Derick and their two children. While Derick has been quite outspoken on Twitter about the alleged misdeeds of Jim Bob and TLC, Jill has never commented publicly on the topic herself. 

RELATED STORY: ‘Counting On’ Stars Josiah & Lauren Duggar Welcome First Child: See the Adorable Baby Photos!

(Photos: TLC; Twitter)

29 Responses


  1. Once a child on reality tv reaches 18 years old (legally adults), they have to have their own contract (yes, I’ve seen a child’s reality tv contract).

    Now, if the Duggar children signed an agreement for their father to act as their representative and negotiate for them (which I can see happening when they had just turned 18) and then once they were married/older and on their own, and never had the courage or backbones to tell Jim Bob and Discovery/TLC they wanted their own contracts and to do their own negotiating, and thus the contracts were never changed, it’s no one’s fault but their own that the contract is set up the way it is – – which is what I think happened.

    I think Derick is mad at the wrong people and he needs to be adult about it and talk to his father-in-law and get his own contract – if it isn’t too late and TLC is even willing to talk to him now


  2. When Jim Bob negotiated for everyone and cashed the money for everyone, all the adults should have given permission for that. They clearly didn’t.
    I don’t know how far TLC’s obligation goes to establish that a person has consent to speak and get paid for everyone. When they legally did what is expected from them, Derrick has to take his father in law to court, not TLC.
    When TLC never paid any medical expenses, they are not in any way obligated to help Derrick. However when they did, I still think they can decide who they want to give extra money and who they don’t was to help.


  3. This is what happens when you’re a bigot who marries into a cult. It’s called a patriarchy. Jim Bob will control everything until the day he dies. I have an idea, how about you unfriend your homeboy fundie-Jesus and live your life by his example, not rules Jim Bob made up in his name. There are ways to be a Christian without hating anyone or any lifestyle. It’s liberating, I promise. You would just have to acknowledge that your wife isn’t your property, she isn’t required to sleep with you, and, of course, the Jesus I grew up with didn’t give AF if I showed my knees. I suspect Derrick’s too controlling to take that route. Until he does, literally nothing he says matters in my book.


  4. They weren’t looking out for themselves, they should have had someone in the industry representing them and negotiating contracts and interviews on their behalf. Counting on was supposed to focus on Jill and Jessa. While it would have been nice for TLC to help with the NICU, it wasnt in the contract and they weren’t obligated to do so. I don’t think TLC is responsible for this, they paid according to the contract. Is Jim Bob responsible? Well, ethically that could be argued but legally it was his name on everyone’s check.


    1. It would be the same thing if I put my check into my mother’s bank account (just her name on the account). Should I trust my mom to give me my money for my bills? Legally it’s her money because it’s in her account.


      1. Yes but what if your mom calls your boss and tells your boss to transfer your wages to her account, without your permission?


        1. That’s where a paid representative familiar with TV contracts would have come in handy. Also, legally since I’m not a minor, my mom can’t do that. Jill and Derrick were over 18 years at this time and no longer minors either or vulnerable adults in need of a guardian.


  5. Go ahead Derrick! Get yourself laughed out of the court room and then as a result laughed out of law school. If you signed a contract you literally have no leg to stand on. If you didn’t then it’s your fault for not.


  6. While I can’t relate to the Dugger lifestyle at all I do tune into the show since it became more focused on the adult kids. Who knows maybe Jim Bob controls all of the finances but from what I can see they all live in nice houses and have nice things. Granted they don’t live like millionaires or anything like that but they don’t seem to want for anything either. Derrick is and always has been worthless. I feel bad for Jill because Jim Bob introduced them and clearly arranged the marriage and she sure got the short end of the stick, especially when she sees her sibling’s marriages. There is nothing worse than being with someone who is a constant embarrassment.


    1. Yeah, they are nice houses just about all of them are owned by Jim Bob and he in turn rents them out to the kids. He already told them if they don’t want to pay him rent to move out so someone who wants to pay can move in. He’s in it to make money from ANYONE! No shame in his greed game! He’s not the Christian he wants everyone to believe he is. He’s just a tyrant.


      1. “The network begged us to come back” no pretty sure you were fired lol also you sign the contract, trying to get more $ out of them is just going to cost the Duggar family more money in the long run. Idiots.


  7. So I’m confused here. Does Jim Bob negotiate their contracts and force them to sign it? And they just willingly do so? Or does he sign that contract for them and force them to show up when cameras are around. And what the fuck does he mean TLC begged them to keep filming? You were fired you homophobic fuck. You were messing with the gravy train my boy. You don’t act very Christian like. I thought there would be regrets for Jessa marrying a man-child but I’m beginning to think maybe they regret letting your whinny ass in the family! I don’t think TLC is afraid of you. At. All. Get a real job. Let your wife work. Stop pumping out babies for the sake having babies and let Jill bring in some income too. Clearly you aren’t man enough to do it on your own you whinney baby. It’s clear you don’t know how the system works.


  8. Oh so that’s why he went to law school-I’m sure he will realize there are all kinds of lawsuits he could file to avoid having a full time job. I guess he forgot TLC fired him for his homophobic comments. The sad thing is Jill has lost the only friends she has ever had-her siblings I don’t think they have turned their backs on her but their relationship has to be strained at best. Clearly Derrick wouldn’t take this into account when there are a few bucks to be made. (Ones that he will never see-he has nothing to stand on.) I mean he is the MAN of the house and if Jim Bob and Michelle have taught them anything it’s to obey your husband.


  9. Look at Derrick acting like he knows the in’s and out’s of the legal system just because he’s been in law school all of 5 minutes. He’s such a tool.


  10. Jim Bob shouldn’t even be on the show. The whole concept of counting on was supposed to be about Jill and Jessa, and some of the other older kids. THey’ve since basically veered it right back to being 19K&C. It’s ridiculous. Nobody wanted to see the molester apologists anymore, yet here we are.


  11. Why would TLC be responsible for paying the cost of jills birth and their sons NICU stay? Did one of the producers like push Jill out of a moving van while she was laboring? I don’t get it??? Shouldn’t that be between Derick and JB if they are disagreeing about who gets which amount of money?


    1. Maybe Jim Bob got TLC to contribute in Josie’s medical bills.
      Or they contributed in other medical bills cause Jim Bob told them they could not film otherwise.


  12. Maybe Derick should get a job. Then he would have an actual income and he wouldn’t have to worry so much about money from Jim Bob.


  13. I can’t believe that as adults they weren’t required to consent in writing to allow your likeness to appear on the show. Maybe you should have READ what you signed. I cannot believe the amount of folks that I have come into contact with that sign things they don’t read. Later on they want to argue about it and take no responsibility. Always read before you sign things.


  14. I believe that Jim Bob does get the money from this show, likely under the misguided belief that the kids owe it to their parents for raising them, giving them their own spoghtlight etc. Regardless, Derick is an adult and if he’s old enough to take on a wife and have children, then you’re old enough to stand up for your own best interests.


    1. I think TLC pays the Duggar ministery. The ministery pays the plane, trips abroad etc.
      I bet Jim Bob tells them to donate as much as possible to the ministery. When they are in need of money, Jim Bob puts them to work in one of his many companies.


  15. It’s THEIR OWN FAULT for allowing Jim Bob to negotiate their contract and take the payments, if that’s true. Basically, he’s wanting to sue because he didnt due his due diligence and negotiate his/Jill’s contract.

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