The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday defended its decision to withhold additional information from records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling a federal court that the remaining redactions are necessary to protect victims' identities, preserve legally protected information and comply with privacy requirements. Rather than releasing further unredacted documents by a court-imposed deadline, the department asked for additional time or for the court to accept its explanation for maintaining the redactions. The filing follows a preliminary injunction issued last week requiring the government to either disclose more material or justify why it could not do so.

In its filing, the Justice Department said some redactions conceal the names of victims and sensitive communications that could be misleading or harmful if released without context. Officials also argued that certain records contain information protected under federal law or material that falls outside the scope of public disclosure requirements. The dispute stems from a lawsuit challenging the department's handling of records released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, with plaintiffs alleging that some redactions extend beyond what the law permits. The Justice Department has indicated it intends to appeal the court's order while seeking a delay in complying with the deadline.