Epstein Public Records

• The record reports that the Department's January 30, 2026 letter to Congress counted more than 6 million pages identified as potentially responsive and nearly 3.5 million pages released, but gave no count of foreign-language pages.
• It reports that the Department's January 4, 2026 review protocol, filed as an exhibit to the Answer, gave first-level reviewers 'Foreign language' as one of five responsiveness tags.
• It reports, from the August 13 hearing transcript excerpt in Phang's D.C. Circuit addendum, that the Department's lawyer said he was not sure he had the number of foreign-language documents.
• It lists the Department's D.C. Circuit reply, due September 29, 2026 at 4:00 p.m., as the next dated step, and states that no date is set for a ruling.

• Court rejects the Department's reasons for not reviewing foreign-language records and for withholding the FBI notes, and orders both addressed by Sept 24 →Sep 16, 2026 · records release review

• It states: "He has conceded the statutory merits."
• It states the Attorney General "granted himself a stay by refusing to obey the District Court's unambiguous order for nearly three months."
• It states: "Under this standard, the Court lacks jurisdiction over the Attorney General's appeal from the September 16 order enforcing the PI order."
• It states: "The Act does not authorize categorical withholding of foreign-language records".

• Phang opposes the stay and moves to dismiss the second appeal →Sep 25, 2026 · records release review

• It states: "The Defendant categorically denies that it has failed to comply with the Act."
• It states: "The Defendant admits that although the Act allows for withholding for items necessary 'to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy'--no files were withheld or redacted on that basis."
• It states: "The Defendant admits that, at times, specific, discrete documents were removed from the Epstein Library when--consistent with the Privacy Notice--the Department was made aware of material that was posted without redaction where redaction was appropriate, whether by a victim or member of the public."
• Among its affirmative defenses: "There is no 'final agency action' within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. § 704 for this Court to review" and "To the extent she alleges informational injury, the Freedom of Information Act provides her remedy."

• Justice Department answers the complaint, denying noncompliance and stating nothing was withheld on national-defense grounds →Sep 24, 2026 · records release review

• The order states the Fourth Amended Complaint asserts one count of negligence under the voluntary undertaking doctrine and one under the zone-of-risk doctrine against the FBI under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
• It records that the plaintiffs seek judgment 'for an amount in excess of $320,000,000.00 in compensatory damages'.
• It orders: 'Defendant's Motion to Dismiss the Fourth Amended Complaint [ECF No. 110] is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.'
• It lifts the stay of discovery 'for the limited purpose of allowing the parties to engage in the recommended limited jurisdictional discovery for ninety (90) days from the date of this Order, after which Defendant may renew its motion to dismiss under the FTCA's discretionary function exception.'
• It states that 'while Plaintiffs have a long row to hoe to establish that their claims fall outside of the discretionary function exception, they should be permitted limited discovery on this issue.'
• It is signed 'DONE AND ORDERED in the Southern District of Florida on September 23, 2026.' and each page header reads 'Entered on FLSD Docket 09/24/2026'.

• Florida federal court denies, for now, the motion to dismiss the FTCA suit over the FBI's handling of Epstein reports and opens 90 days of limited discovery →Sep 24, 2026 · active investigation

A shared source does not establish conduct or a direct personal relationship.

• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida →official record holder

• Three minute orders dated September 16, 2026 deny the motions to intervene at ECF 21, 38 and 41 "due to movant's failure to provide 'a statement of the specific points of law and authority that support the motion' as required by Local Civil Rule 7(a)."
• ECF 44 reads: "NOTICE OF APPEAL TO DC CIRCUIT COURT as to 43 Memorandum & Opinion by TODD W. BLANCHE." (Entered 09/17/2026)
• A September 21, 2026 entry reads: "USCA Case Number 26-5334 for 44 Notice of Appeal to DC Circuit Court filed by TODD W. BLANCHE."
• ECF 46 reads: "Partial MOTION to Stay re 43 Memorandum & Opinion Pending Appeal by TODD W. BLANCHE." (Entered 09/18/2026)
• A September 19, 2026 minute order states "that Plaintiff shall file a response by no later than 9:00 am on September 21, 2026; and Defendant shall file a reply by no later than 5:00 pm on September 21, 2026."
• A deadline entry reads: "Defendant Answer due by 9/24/2026. Defendant Certified List Of Administrative Record due by 10/1/2026."
• ECF 50, filed September 24, 2026, is the Answer to Complaint, with exhibits labelled as the Attorney Review Protocol, the December 19, January 30 and February 14 letters, and 91 Fed. Reg. 55356.

• Justice Department answers the complaint, denying noncompliance and stating nothing was withheld on national-defense grounds →Sep 24, 2026 · records release review
• Justice Department appeals the September 16 order, opening a second D.C. Circuit case →Sep 17, 2026 · records release review
• Court compels an answer and the administrative record, and denies three motions to intervene →Sep 16, 2026 · records release review
• Court rejects the Department's reasons for not reviewing foreign-language records and for withholding the FBI notes, and orders both addressed by Sept 24 →Sep 16, 2026 · records release review

• BEFORE: Srinivasan, Chief Judge, and Pillard and Pan, Circuit Judges.
• It orders "that appellee respond to the motion by Friday, September 25, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Any reply is due by Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 4:00 p.m."
• The caption reads "Consolidated with 26-5334".
• The D.C. Circuit docket lists on September 21, 2026: "CLERK'S ORDER [2194153] filed consolidating cases in 26-5334 (Consolidation started 09/21/2026) with 26-5299" (order PDF: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cadc.43517/gov.uscourts.cadc.43517.01208890202.0.pdf).

• Phang opposes the stay and moves to dismiss the second appeal →Sep 25, 2026 · records release review
• D.C. Circuit panel sets a short briefing schedule on the stay motion →Sep 23, 2026 · records release review
• Justice Department appeals the September 16 order, opening a second D.C. Circuit case →Sep 17, 2026 · records release review

A shared source does not establish conduct or a direct personal relationship.

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit →official record holder

• It states Maxwell emailed "a pro se motion to alter or amend the Court's Order of August 24, 2026, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e)."
• It states: "the Court is unable to confirm the total absence of victim-identifying information in the motion and exhibits."
• It directs the government, "by October 14, 2026", to review the documents and either report that they may be docketed as submitted or redact them.

• Maxwell asks the court to alter its § 2255 denial; her filing is held for victim-privacy review →Sep 23, 2026 · records release review

• It states: "Congress chose not to include a private right of action."
• It states: "If not stayed, the district court's orders will irreversibly alter the status quo, harm the Department, and potentially moot this appeal".
• It states that on July 15, 2026 Representatives Massie, Khanna, and Leger Fernandez proposed the "Epstein Files Transparency Act II" (H.R. 9694), and: "Nor has EFTA II become law."
• It states that three non-parties "each unsuccessfully attempted to intervene in the district court", and that a separate Jane Doe motion to intervene "remains pending before the district court."

• Justice Department asks the D.C. Circuit to stay the foreign-language review order and expedite →Sep 22, 2026 · records release review
• 'Epstein Files Transparency Act II' introduced, adding state and victim enforcement suits (H.R. 9694) →Jul 15, 2026 · records release review

A shared source does not establish conduct or a direct personal relationship.

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit →official record holder

• It states the FBI 'made its first interim release on June 15, 2026, consisting of 259 pages reviewed and 69 pages released, its second interim release on July 17, 2026, consisting of 569 pages reviewed and 266 pages released, and its third release on August 31, 2026'.
• It states: 'The FBI has completed processing of all records in its possession.'
• It states: 'Pursuant to the Court's July 22, 2026, Minute Order, OIP is processing 750 pages per month.'
• It states OIP 'processed 1,072 pages of records: 159 pages were appropriate for release with certain information withheld, 307 were being withheld in full, an additional 384 are entirely duplicative of material in the aforementioned 466 pages or previous August 17, 2026 interim response, and the remaining 222 pages are available online in the Department's Epstein Library.'
• It states: 'OIP anticipates processing will be complete by November 16, 2026.'
• It states the parties 'will file a further Joint Status Report on or before October 21, 2026'.

• FBI finishes processing a FOIA request set for Epstein-matter records; DOJ's records office expects to finish by November 16 →Sep 21, 2026 · records release review

A shared source does not establish conduct or a direct personal relationship.

• U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia →official record holder

• It states: "Local Civil Rule 7(m) applies, and Defendant failed to comply with his duty to confer. Accordingly, the motion will be denied."
• It states: "Even if the Court did not deny the motion because of Defendant's failure to comply with the duty to confer, however, the Court would deny it on the merits."
• It orders that the portion of the September 16 order requiring the Department to initiate foreign-language review and give notice by September 24, 2026 "is TEMPORARILY STAYED."
• It orders: "The parties shall file a joint Notice with recommendations for further proceedings by no later than three days after the D.C. Circuit resolves Defendant's forthcoming motion to stay in that court."

• District court denies the Department's partial stay but pauses the foreign-language deadline while the Department asks the D.C. Circuit →Sep 21, 2026 · records release review