The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a motion in federal court in the Southern District of Florida requesting that grand-jury transcripts (and related protective orders) from the investigations of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell be unsealed. The motion cites the newly enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates the release of unclassified DOJ materials related to Epstein within 30 days, arguing that grand-jury transcripts should not be exempt from disclosure simply because of their status. The DOJ said it will make appropriate redactions for victim-identifying information and asks that any pre-existing protective orders be lifted so the records can be made public.
In its filings, the DOJ highlighted that the transcripts in question stem from earlier investigations — including grand-jury sessions from 2005 and 2007 in Florida — and asserted that the public interest in transparency around Epstein’s crimes and network is compelling. The motion requests an expedited ruling to meet the 30-day deadline set by the Transparency Act. At the same time, the DOJ acknowledges that the law does not explicitly mention grand-jury material, but argues that court precedent allows unsealing where justified and that the transcripts do not contain “new” information that would pose unusual harm, when properly redacted.
to contact me:
[email protected]