The Justice Department is once again urging a federal court in Florida to release long-protected grand jury materials from the early federal investigations of Jeffrey Epstein — a renewed effort driven by Congress’s passage of the Epstein Transparency Act, which President Donald Trump signed earlier this week.
DOJ Cites New Legal Requirement
In a filing submitted Friday, government attorneys argued that, under the law’s mandate to release all unclassified investigative records within 30 days, the grand jury transcripts from 2005 and 2007 must now be made public. Those transcripts stem from the first federal inquiry into Epstein’s conduct in Florida, years before his 2019 arrest on sex-trafficking charges.
Although the Act does not explicitly mention grand jury material, DOJ lawyers told the court that the law’s broad language leaves “no exemption” for those records. The department also requested that the longstanding protective order over the case be lifted so it can begin preparing redacted versions that protect victims’ identities and other sensitive personal information.
Previous Attempts Were Blocked
This is not the first time the Justice Department has sought to open Epstein’s grand jury material. Similar requests — including filings tied to cases involving Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell — were submitted to courts in both Florida and New York over the summer. Judges ultimately denied those attempts.
The renewed push comes as federal officials face mounting public pressure and a looming deadline. The Epstein Transparency Act passed the Senate unanimously and cleared the House in a 427–1 vote, reflecting rare bipartisan agreement on accelerating access to the government’s long-held records.
Spotlight Back on Epstein Investigation
Momentum around the files escalated after the DOJ released a memo earlier this year stating that investigators found no evidence Epstein kept a “client list” or engaged in blackmail schemes. The memo also reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 — conclusions that left survivors and lawmakers demanding more transparency.
With the 30-day countdown now underway, the court’s decision on whether to unseal the grand jury proceedings will help determine how much of Epstein’s early case history becomes public — and how soon.
Meanwhile, Ghislaine Maxwell, who has denied wrongdoing, continues serving her 20-year federal sentence in Texas for crimes connected to Epstein’s abuse.
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