A federal judge in Florida has granted a significant request from the U.S. Justice Department, paving the way for the public release of long-secret grand jury transcripts from the original criminal investigations into financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
New Law Overrules Secrecy
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith issued the ruling on Friday, December 5, 2025. He determined that the transcripts can be unsealed due to the recent passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This new law, signed by former President Donald Trump last month, mandates the Attorney General to disclose all unclassified materials related to Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Judge Smith stated that the act "trumps" the traditional rules of grand jury secrecy that had previously been used to block the release of these documents. This decision marks a reversal from the court's past stance, which saw similar requests for transcripts from 2005 and 2007 investigations denied.
Wider Push for Transparency
The Justice Department's latest request followed months of public pressure for more information and the subsequent enactment of the transparency law. The act requires the release of a vast array of records, including:
- Investigative files and flight logs
- Travel records and immunity deals
- Internal Department of Justice communications
- All records pertaining to Epstein's 2019 death in prison
This Florida ruling is part of a broader movement toward disclosure. Two judges in New York are currently considering similar requests to unseal grand jury materials from the probes that led to Epstein's 2019 indictment and Maxwell's arrest the following year.
Case Background and Objections
Jeffrey Epstein was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges when he died by suicide in jail at age 66 in 2019. His associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, now 63, was later convicted for her role in recruiting and grooming young women and girls for Epstein's abuse. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence in a federal prison in Texas.
Earlier this week, Maxwell raised an objection to the release of the Florida grand jury files. She informed the judge overseeing her criminal case that the disclosure could interfere with her plans to file a motion for a new trial. Despite this objection, Judge Smith's ruling moves the process of public disclosure forward under the authority of the new federal law.
The decision is seen as a major victory for transparency advocates and victims seeking a fuller public accounting of the investigations into Epstein's extensive sex trafficking network, which involved powerful and wealthy individuals.
