The U.S. Justice Department has filed motions this week requesting two federal judges to unseal grand jury exhibits linked to the criminal cases of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, in addition to previously sought transcripts.

The department has provided extensions through 14 August to notify individuals mentioned in the exhibits who were not named in the transcripts.

It also emphasizes safeguarding victims’ identities through redactions and notification processes .

The transcripts under consideration contain testimony solely from a New York Police Department detective and an FBI agent; no alleged victims appeared before the grand juries that led to the indictments of Epstein and Maxwell .

DOJ filings assert that previously released public records already include much of the information contained in the transcripts .

Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal team has formally opposed the unsealing request.

Their filings argue that disclosing grand jury materials would infringe upon her due process rights, could affect her ongoing appeal—including a petition before the U.S. Supreme Court—and may cause irreparable reputational harm .

Reactions from victims have been mixed.

Some survivors and their attorneys support the release of the materials for transparency but demand strong privacy protections, such as redaction and prior review.

Other survivors have expressed concern over political motives and inadequate victim input, describing the process as potentially retraumatizing .

The request to unseal transcripts and exhibits follows sustained public scrutiny.

Earlier court rulings have rejected similar motions in Florida and elsewhere, citing insufficient legal grounds under grand jury secrecy norms .

Meanwhile, litigation by advocacy groups under the Freedom of Information Act seeks broader disclosure of FBI and DOJ communications related to Epstein and Maxwell.

These efforts, combined with congressional subpoenas, may increase pressure on federal agencies to release additional files .