A federal judge in South Florida has ordered the release of long-sealed grand jury transcripts tied to the abandoned 2006–2007 investigation of Jeffrey Epstein—marking the first significant test of a new federal transparency law aimed at exposing how the disgraced financier evaded serious prosecution for years.
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith ruled Friday that the recently enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act overrides the longstanding federal rule that bars public access to grand jury materials. The law, signed last month by President Donald Trump, compels the Justice Department, FBI, and federal prosecutors to release a wide range of documents related to the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell investigations by December 19.
Judge Smith’s decision clears the way for the unsealing of transcripts from the Florida grand jury proceedings—an investigation widely criticized for allowing Epstein to secure a controversial plea deal that shielded him from federal prosecution at the time.
The Justice Department has sought similar unsealing orders in two additional cases: Epstein’s 2019 federal sex-trafficking case in New York and Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2021 conviction, also in New York. Judges overseeing those matters have signaled they will move quickly, with federal lawyers facing a Monday deadline to respond to submissions from victims, Epstein’s estate and Maxwell’s legal team.
Early reactions from federal prosecutors were muted. One attorney involved in the Florida case did not return calls Friday, while another declined to answer questions.
The release of these materials is expected to shed light on decisions made by U.S. prosecutors nearly two decades ago—and may answer lingering questions about how a wealthy, well-connected figure managed to minimize legal consequences for years despite mounting allegations.
For advocates around the world who have long demanded transparency, Friday’s ruling marks a decisive shift. For the U.S. justice system, it sets the stage for what may become one of the most consequential document disclosures in modern federal criminal history.
