U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith issued the decision on Friday, stating that the Epstein Files Transparency Act — signed into law by President Donald Trump in November — compels federal agencies to disclose investigative materials that were previously protected from public view.
The ruling means that grand-jury transcripts, filings, and other related documents from the early federal probe into Epstein must now be prepared for public release. According to the court order, the Department of Justice must begin producing the records ahead of the December 19 deadline established in the Act.
Judge Smith noted that while courts traditionally safeguard grand-jury information, Congress had “expressly directed” that Epstein-related materials be unsealed unless they contain classified information or would compromise victim privacy or ongoing investigations.
The decision marks a significant shift in the long-criticized handling of the original Epstein case, which resulted in a controversial non-prosecution agreement in 2007 despite extensive investigative work by federal and local authorities.
The Department of Justice has not yet indicated how many documents will be released or the extent of redactions that may be applied.
