# Legal disputes over Jeffrey Epstein investigative files > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/legal-disputes-over-jeffrey-epstein-investigative-files > Updated: 2026-10-19T10:00:00.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. Legal and political pressure is mounting regarding the disclosure of investigative records related to Jeffrey Epstein. In September 2026, a U.S. District Judge ordered the Department of Justice to disclose withheld files or explain its non-compliance, specifically rejecting arguments for redactions intended to protect victims and requiring the production of handwritten FBI interrogation notes. The Department of Justice subsequently filed an appeal and requested a stay on these deadlines. By October 2026, a coalition of state attorneys general urged Congress to pass the ‘Epstein Files Transparency Act II’. The group argued that the Department of Justice has failed to comply with existing laws, noting that millions of documents remain withheld despite a December 2025 deadline for full public release. The proposed legislation aims to grant state attorneys general, victims, and members of Congress the legal standing to sue the U.S. Attorney General to compel the release of unredacted records. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-19: State attorneys general urge Congress to pass Epstein files transparency bill State attorneys general are calling for the Epstein Files Transparency Act II to allow states and survivors to sue the DOJ over the withholding of Jeffrey Epstein investigative records. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/state-attorneys-general-urge-congress-to-pass-epstein-files-transparency-bill ### 2026-09-22: Judge orders DOJ to disclose Jeffrey Epstein files Judge Emmet Sullivan ordered Attorney General Todd Blanche to disclose Jeffrey Epstein files, rejecting DOJ arguments for redactions and setting a deadline for reviewing foreign-language documents. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/judge-orders-doj-to-disclose-jeffrey-epstein-files --- Cite as: Legal disputes over Jeffrey Epstein investigative files. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/legal-disputes-over-jeffrey-epstein-investigative-files