A federal judge on Monday reprimanded Ghislaine Maxwell for revealing victim names in court papers that seek to overturn her 2021 sex-trafficking conviction.
Judge Engelmayer’s Ruling
Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said that exhibits submitted with Maxwell’s habeas petition-filed without legal representation-will be kept under seal until they are reviewed and appropriately redacted to protect victim identities. He warned that any future filings must also be submitted under seal and reminded Maxwell that she is prohibited from including in any public documents the names of victims who were not publicly identified during her trial.
Maxwell’s Petition and Timeline
Maxwell filed the petition on Wednesday, two days before the Justice Department began releasing investigative records under the recently enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act. She argues that evidence that could exonerate her was withheld and that false testimony was presented, leading to a “complete miscarriage of justice.”
Engelmayer gave Maxwell until February 17, 2026 to notify him whether she plans to use information from the so-called Epstein files in her petition and required an amended version by March 31, 2026.
DOJ Release Delays and Senate Response
The Justice Department has released records on a rolling basis, citing the time-consuming process of redacting victim names and other identifying details. The released documents-including photographs, interview transcripts, call logs, court records and other materials-were heavily blacked out or already public, leaving many accusers and members of Congress frustrated.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced a resolution urging the Senate to file or join lawsuits to compel the Justice Department to comply with the Transparency Act. Schumer said, “Instead of transparency, the Trump administration released a tiny fraction of the files and blacked out massive portions of what little they provided.” The resolution is largely symbolic, but it keeps pressure on the department.
DOJ’s Defense of the Release Strategy
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the department’s decision to release only a fraction of the files by the deadline. He pledged that the Trump administration would meet its legal obligation but emphasized the need to protect survivors’ privacy. Blanche also defended the removal of several files from the public webpage-such as a photograph of President Trump, Epstein, Melania Trump and Maxwell-saying the documents were taken down because they might show victims. He stated that the photo would be reposted once redactions were made to protect survivors.
Blanche told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the narrative that the Department of Justice is hiding information about Trump is “completely false” and that the Epstein files have existed for years without any Democrat speaking out until Senator Schumer recently raised the issue.
Key Takeaways
- Judge Engelmayer orders Maxwell’s petition documents to be sealed and requires future filings to be under seal.
- Maxwell has until February 17, 2026 to decide whether to include Epstein files in her petition.
- The Justice Department’s release of Epstein documents has been slow and heavily redacted, prompting a Senate resolution to enforce the Transparency Act.
The clash between the court’s demand for secrecy and the Senate’s push for transparency highlights the ongoing struggle over how the Epstein case’s evidence is handled and shared with the public.
