Judges Ask Justice Dept. to Submit Epstein Case Transcripts With Proposed Redactions

Source: New York Times

July 22, 2025 Updated 5:38 p.m. ET


Two federal judges in Manhattan said in similar court orders on Tuesday that they would try to “expeditiously” resolve motions by Attorney General Pam Bondi seeking to unseal grand jury transcripts from the prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.

But both judges ordered the government to file legal arguments setting out the “special circumstances” that would justify disclosing the materials, which are shielded by grand jury secrecy.

The judges ordered the government to submit two complete sets of grand jury transcripts from the cases, one without redactions and one with them made in the form that the government proposed to make public. The government should also cite any other grand jury materials, like exhibits that were shown to the grand jury, the judges’ orders said.

The orders come in response to motions Ms. Bondi filed on Friday as President Trump has sought to quell criticism from many of his supporters who want more information on what the government knows about Mr. Epstein’s activities and any prominent figures who were in his circle.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/us/politics/trump-epstein-files-redacted-bondi.html