Federal Judge Orders Release of Ghislaine Maxwell Case Records Under New Transparency Act

Court Mandates Release of Maxwell Case Documents

A federal judge in New York has granted the Justice Department's request to unseal and release a substantial volume of investigative materials from the sex trafficking case involving Ghislaine Maxwell. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer issued the ruling on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, paving the way for the public disclosure of potentially hundreds of thousands of pages of documents.

This decision comes in the wake of the 'Epstein Files Transparency Act,' a new law passed by Congress last month and signed by President Donald Trump. The act mandates that the Justice Department release all unclassified records related to the investigations of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell by December 19.

Scope of Unsealed Materials and Redaction Protocols

The materials slated for release are described as 'voluminous' and include a wide array of documents, such as:

• Grand jury testimony
• Investigative materials
• Search warrants
• Financial records
• Survivor interview notes
• Electronic device data

Crucially, these records encompass evidence that was not utilized during Maxwell's trial. To safeguard the identities and privacy of victims, the Justice Department is required to redact sensitive information. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in New York has been tasked with overseeing these redactions and must personally certify their rigorous review and compliance with the new law.

Maxwell's Position and Broader Context

Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in sex trafficking, did not oppose the unsealing of the documents. However, her legal team expressed concerns that the release could potentially jeopardize her efforts to secure a new trial. Her appeal to the Supreme Court was rejected in October.

Judge Engelmayer's ruling marks the second such order in recent weeks, following a similar decision by a Florida judge to release records pertaining to an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. While the release aims to provide greater transparency into the crimes of Epstein and Maxwell and their connections to powerful individuals, Judge Engelmayer noted that the materials might not unveil 'new information of any consequence' or identify any clients beyond Epstein and Maxwell themselves. Despite this, victims like Annie Farmer have advocated for the release, emphasizing the importance of disclosing crucial information.