Ghislaine Maxwell Grand Jury Records: What Exists, What's Sealed & How to Access Them

Ghislaine Maxwell Grand Jury Records: What We Know

The Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury records are among the most frequently searched topics related to the Epstein case. A federal grand jury heard evidence and returned the indictments that led to Maxwell's arrest in July 2020 and her subsequent conviction in December 2021. However, the actual grand jury proceedings — the testimony heard, the evidence presented, and the deliberations — are sealed under federal law and are not publicly available.

This article explains what grand jury records are, what documents actually exist in the Maxwell case, and how to access the materials that are public.

How Federal Grand Juries Work

A federal grand jury is a body of 16 to 23 citizens who review evidence presented by prosecutors to determine whether there is probable cause to charge someone with a federal crime. Grand juries operate under strict secrecy requirements.

Rule 6(e): Grand Jury Secrecy

Under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e), grand jury proceedings are secret. This means:

Testimony given before the grand jury is not publicly released
Evidence presented to the grand jury is sealed
Deliberations are confidential
Grand jurors, attorneys, and court personnel are prohibited from disclosing what occurs during proceedings

The secrecy rule exists to protect the integrity of investigations, encourage witness candor, prevent flight by targets, and protect the reputation of individuals who are investigated but not charged.

Exceptions to Secrecy

Grand jury materials can be disclosed in limited circumstances:

Court order — A judge may order disclosure if a party demonstrates a "particularized need" that outweighs the interest in secrecy
Preliminary to or in connection with a judicial proceeding — Prosecutors may disclose grand jury materials to other government attorneys for law enforcement purposes
Historical interest — In rare cases, courts have ordered release of grand jury materials decades after proceedings concluded, typically for cases of significant historical importance

The Maxwell Grand Jury: Timeline

The Original Indictment (July 2020)

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York returned an indictment against Maxwell in July 2020, charging her with six counts related to her role in Epstein's sex trafficking operation. The grand jury heard evidence from witnesses and reviewed documents before finding probable cause to charge Maxwell.

The Superseding Indictment (March 2021)

In March 2021, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding a seventh count: sex trafficking of a minor, based on the testimony of a victim known as "Carolyn" and covering conduct from 2001 to 2004. This was the most serious charge and the one that carried the heaviest potential sentence.

What the Grand Jury Heard

While the specific testimony and evidence presented to the grand jury remain sealed, the nature of the charges and the subsequent trial provide general insight into what the grand jury likely considered:

Testimony from victims of Maxwell and Epstein's trafficking operation
Documentary evidence including financial records, flight logs, and communications
Testimony from other witnesses with knowledge of the alleged conspiracy

These grand jury proceedings themselves remain sealed under Rule 6(e) and are not available to the public.

Sealed vs. Unsealed: Understanding the Different Records

One of the most common points of confusion about "Maxwell records" is that people conflate several different categories of documents. Here is what actually exists:

1. Grand Jury Records (Sealed)

The proceedings that led to Maxwell's indictment remain sealed under Rule 6(e). Grand jury transcripts, exhibits, and witness testimony are not public. No motion to unseal these specific records has been publicly granted.

2. Criminal Case Filings (Mostly Public)

The criminal case — United States v. Maxwell, Case No. 20-cr-330 (S.D.N.Y.) — generated hundreds of public filings including:

The original and superseding indictments
Pre-trial motions and orders
Trial transcripts (available through PACER)
Sentencing memoranda from both prosecution and defense
The judgment and commitment order
Appeal briefs filed with the Second Circuit
The Supreme Court certiorari petition

Most of these documents are accessible through PACER and CourtListener. Some pre-trial materials were filed under seal (such as certain discovery disputes), but the vast majority of the criminal case docket is public.

3. Giuffre v. Maxwell Civil Documents (Partially Unsealed)

The most widely discussed "Maxwell documents" come not from the criminal case but from the civil lawsuit Giuffre v. Maxwell, Case No. 15-cv-07433 (S.D.N.Y.). Virginia Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation in 2015 after Maxwell publicly denied Giuffre's allegations.

This civil case produced thousands of pages of depositions, correspondence, flight logs, and other records, much of which was initially filed under seal. A series of court orders beginning in 2019 and continuing through 2024 resulted in the partial unsealing of these documents.

The Giuffre v. Maxwell documents are the source of many of the names, flight records, and testimony that the public associates with the "Epstein files." They are available through CourtListener and have been widely reported on by major news outlets.

For details on the unsealing process, see Epstein Documents 2024 Unsealing.

4. DOJ Epstein Library (Released January 2026)

In January 2026, the Department of Justice released approximately 3.5 million pages of Epstein-related records through the DOJ Epstein Library, as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. These records include:

Investigation files from the Southern District of Florida and SDNY
FBI records related to the Epstein investigation
Internal DOJ communications about the case
Records related to the 2007 Non-Prosecution Agreement

The DOJ Epstein Library does not include grand jury materials, which remain sealed separately. It does include investigative materials that may overlap with evidence presented to the grand jury.

For guidance on searching these records, see How to Search the DOJ Epstein Library.

How to Access Public Maxwell Records

PACER (Criminal Case)

The criminal case docket for United States v. Maxwell is available through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) at pacer.uscourts.gov. PACER charges $0.10 per page with a quarterly fee cap. You can search by case number 20-cr-330 in the Southern District of New York.

CourtListener (Civil Case)

The Giuffre v. Maxwell civil case docket is freely available through CourtListener at courtlistener.com. This is the best free source for the partially unsealed civil documents.

DOJ Epstein Library

The DOJ's publicly released Epstein records are available through the DOJ Epstein Library at justice.gov/epstein. These records are free and searchable.

FBI Vault

FOIA-released FBI records related to the Epstein investigation are available through the FBI Vault at vault.fbi.gov.

Our Document Library

We maintain a curated index of key Maxwell and Epstein documents with summaries and source links in our document library.

What Remains Sealed

As of February 2026, the following categories of Maxwell-related records remain sealed or restricted:

Grand jury proceedings — All testimony and evidence presented to the grand jury that indicted Maxwell
Certain pre-trial discovery materials — Some materials exchanged during the criminal case remain under protective order
Sealed portions of Giuffre v. Maxwell — While significant portions were unsealed in 2024, some materials remain sealed by court order, particularly those involving unnamed victims or minors
Classified or sensitive government materials — Any records that the DOJ determined were exempt from the Transparency Act release due to national security or ongoing investigation concerns

Frequently Searched Questions

Can the Maxwell grand jury records ever be released? In theory, yes. A court could order disclosure under Rule 6(e) if presented with sufficient justification. Historical precedent exists — grand jury materials from the Watergate investigation were eventually released. However, no motion to unseal the Maxwell grand jury records has been publicly filed or granted.

Are the "Maxwell documents" the same as grand jury records? No. The documents widely referred to as "Maxwell documents" are primarily from the Giuffre v. Maxwell civil case and the DOJ Epstein Library — not from the grand jury. Grand jury records are a separate, sealed category.

Did the Epstein Files Transparency Act release grand jury records? No. The Transparency Act required the release of DOJ investigative files but explicitly did not override grand jury secrecy requirements under Rule 6(e).

For the full Maxwell case history, see our Ghislaine Maxwell topic page. Read about the trial and verdict, the appeal timeline, or explore the document library. Learn how to search the DOJ Epstein Library.