Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein, has filed a habeas petition asking a federal court to vacate her 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, claiming new evidence and juror misconduct undermined her trial—a move that could complicate the imminent release of investigative files related to Epstein as mandated by a new law. On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, she submitted a 50-page petition to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeking to ‘vacate, set aside, or correct’ her conviction and sentence while serving her term at a minimum-security prison in Texas.
The petition cites nine grounds for relief, including allegations of juror misconduct and government suppression of exculpatory evidence. Maxwell claims that a juror hid a history of sexual abuse during jury selection, which could have biased the trial. Additionally, she argues that prosecutors withheld critical information, such as prior grand jury testimony from a retired police officer involved in the Epstein investigation.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on five felony counts related to sex trafficking and conspiracy for her role in luring underage girls for Epstein to abuse. Since then, she has exhausted all direct appeals, with the U.S. Supreme Court declining to hear her case earlier this year. Her latest petition represents a last-ditch effort through a habeas corpus appeal, which requires showing constitutional violations or new evidence of innocence.
The timing of Maxwell’s petition coincides with a December 19 deadline for the Justice Department to release files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress last month. This law requires the disclosure of investigative materials related to Epstein and Maxwell, but exemptions allow for withholding records that could jeopardize active cases. Maxwell’s lawyers have argued that releasing grand jury materials could prejudice a potential retrial.
In her filing, Maxwell devotes significant attention to the testimony of Gregory Parkinson, a former Palm Beach police officer who participated in a 2005 search of Epstein’s home. She contends that his prior state grand jury testimony conflicts with his trial account about a massage table used as evidence, undermining the prosecution’s case. This evidence, she says, was not available to her defense during the trial.
The petition has introduced a new wrinkle in the long-running Epstein saga, potentially affecting the release of documents that victims and the public have awaited. Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have declined to comment on the filing, while a judge recently granted a DOJ motion to unseal grand jury records, citing the new transparency law.
Maxwell’s circumstances have changed recently; she was moved from a Florida prison to a Texas facility in August 2025 after meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. This transfer followed her interview with DOJ officials about her ties to Epstein. Despite numerous appeals, Maxwell has consistently faced setbacks in the courts.
Legal experts note that habeas petitions like Maxwell’s are rarely successful, as they require demonstrating serious errors or new evidence that could overturn a conviction. If her petition is granted, it could lead to a new trial or sentence reduction, but such outcomes are uncertain. The court’s decision will be closely watched, as it intersects with broader efforts for transparency in the Epstein case.
