A federal judge in New York, Richard Berman, has denied the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury transcripts and exhibits related to the indictment of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein on sex trafficking charges. This ruling marks the third time that similar motions to release Epstein-related grand jury materials have been rejected by federal judges. Judge Berman, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, described the Justice Department's effort as a "diversion," noting that the department already possesses a more comprehensive set of documents that could be released without court intervention. The decision maintains the confidentiality of approximately 70 pages of grand jury material from the Southern District of New York (SDNY) case. The Justice Department's attempts to make these records public have been consistently blocked, reflecting ongoing judicial reluctance to disclose the grand jury proceedings in Epstein's criminal case.