Record / E-2026-0007
District court finds Justice Department in violation of the Epstein Files Transparency Act
Journalist Katie Phang, represented by the Public Integrity Project, sued Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in his official capacity on April 27, 2026 under the Administrative Procedure Act over compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. On June 25, 2026, Judge Emmet Sullivan of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued a 48-page opinion and a preliminary injunction, writing that Blanche had conceded Phang's merits arguments. The order directed the department to produce or unredact specified records, publish the statutorily required redaction log, or show cause by July 2, 2026. A department spokesperson said it would appeal; no notice of appeal had been filed as of late August 2026.
Context
This entry records what the court ordered and what each side has stated on the record. It does not characterize the contents of any document covered by the order. The finding was made at the preliminary injunction stage, which applies a likelihood of success standard rather than a final merits determination, and the concession language is the court's characterization. The order did not require unredacting victim names; it covered specified records including redacted emails, draft indictment co-conspirator names, and FBI interview notes, plus the redaction log. This entry is marked verified_modified because an earlier account stated the matter was on appeal; the department stated it would appeal but instead litigated the show-cause process and moved for a stay.
Response on the record
A Justice Department spokesperson said the department would appeal the decision with confidence and said Judge Sullivan's perverse interpretation appears to be driving misleading headlines, adding that the judge was suggesting the department violate the law by unredacting victim names, per The Independent, July 3, 2026. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward filed a July 2, 2026 response stating the government strongly disagrees with the order but is committed to transparency and compliance.
Legal status
Phang v. Blanche, No. 1:26-cv-01417 (D.D.C.), Judge Emmet G. Sullivan. Preliminary injunction and memorandum opinion, ECF Nos. 15 and 16, June 25, 2026, finding a likelihood of success with the court characterizing the merits as conceded. No final judgment has issued and no notice of appeal appears on the docket through August 20, 2026.
Sources
The document identifier is the citation. The URL is a resolution mechanism, and the archived copy is what the citation resolves to when the live link dies.
-
Phang v. Blanche, docket, CourtListener
No. 1:26-cv-01417 (D.D.C.), filed April 27, 2026
-
Phang v. Blanche, memorandum opinion, ECF No. 16
No. 1:26-cv-01417 (D.D.C.), ECF No. 16, signed June 25, 2026
-
Judge orders DOJ to either unredact more Epstein files or explain why they must stay blacked out, CBS News
CBS News, Joe Walsh and Daniel Ruetenik, updated June 26, 2026
-
DOJ refuses to hand over Epstein files after judge's order, The Independent via Yahoo News
The Independent, Alex Woodward, July 3, 2026