A federal judge has ordered the Department of Justice to either pull back several redactions in records tied to Jeffrey Epstein or clearly explain why those sections should remain hidden.
On June 25, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan ruled that the DOJ failed to comply with the 2025 Epstein Files Transparency Act after not properly responding to a lawsuit brought by journalist Katie Phang challenging what she argued were arbitrary redactions in the released documents.
The court’s order directs the Justice Department to address several withheld portions of the records by July 2. Among the material at issue are names contained in emails referencing a “torture video,” the identities of alleged co-conspirators, and FBI notes alleging that Epstein introduced a 13-year-old to Donald Trump. If the agency chooses not to disclose those sections, it must provide detailed legal justifications for keeping them sealed.
Phang welcomed the ruling, describing the preliminary injunction as an important move toward greater public accountability surrounding the government’s handling of the files.
The Justice Department pushed back against the decision, calling the ruling “perverse” because of what it says are significant privacy concerns tied to the records. The department has indicated it intends to appeal.
The latest legal battle unfolds as the 2025 Epstein Files Transparency Act continues to require the public release of covered records, with the law setting a deadline of December 19, 2025, for full disclosure unless specific exemptions apply.
