Sullivan rejects DOJ's Epstein files withholdings; calls contempt premature

Date

Sep 16, 2026

Kind

Congressional oversight

Status

Judicially found non-compliant

Source

courtlistener.com ↗

Court or forum

Phang v. Blanche, D.D.C., Judge Emmet Sullivan

What happened

Reviewing compliance with his June 25 injunction under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Sullivan rejected withholding handwritten FBI interview notes and the refusal to review foreign-language records, writing that the government "cites no authority" for the proposition that "administrative inconvenience" excuses it from its statutory obligations, and held that a civil contempt finding "would be premature."

Publisher

CourtListener