Plain-language definitions of legal and procedural terms that appear throughout the
indexed document corpus and the related court and congressional records. Definitions
below are general; the assistant can usually point to the specific document where a term
was used in this case.
Non-prosecution agreement (NPA)
A formal agreement in which the government agrees not to bring federal charges against a person or entity in exchange for specified concessions, often including cooperation, a state-level plea, or other obligations.
In this corpus: The 2008 Southern District of Florida agreement with Jeffrey Epstein is the central NPA referenced throughout the indexed corpus.
Indictment
A formal accusation by a grand jury that there is sufficient evidence for a criminal trial. An indictment is not a finding of guilt; it initiates the case.
In this corpus: The July 2019 SDNY indictment is one of the principal documents in the corpus, charging sex trafficking and conspiracy.
Plea agreement
A negotiated resolution of a criminal case in which the defendant pleads guilty to specified charges in exchange for concessions on charges, recommendations on sentencing, or other terms.
In this corpus: Distinct from a non-prosecution agreement: a plea agreement results in a conviction; a non-prosecution agreement avoids one.
Civil suit
A non-criminal lawsuit between private parties, or between a private party and a government, seeking damages or other relief. Civil cases are decided by a preponderance of the evidence rather than the criminal "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard.
In this corpus: Most of the document record about named associates comes from civil dockets — Giuffre v. Maxwell, suits against the Epstein estate, and the financial-institution cases.
Deposition
Sworn out-of-court testimony given under oath, typically transcribed by a court reporter. Depositions are part of pretrial discovery and may be admitted at trial under specified circumstances.
In this corpus: Deposition transcripts in Giuffre v. Maxwell were a primary subject of the January 2024 unsealing.
Discovery
The pretrial process by which parties obtain evidence from each other through interrogatories, document requests, depositions, and other formal mechanisms.
In this corpus: Most documents in civil dockets entered the public record through discovery, then through filings that referenced or attached the discovered material.
Subpoena
A formal court or congressional order compelling a person or entity to produce documents or appear to give testimony. Failure to comply can result in contempt sanctions.
In this corpus: The House Oversight Committee has issued subpoenas to DOJ components and the Bureau of Prisons; many of the responsive documents are in the corpus.
Sealed
Court documents that are filed but withheld from public view by court order. Documents may be sealed to protect victims, ongoing investigations, trade secrets, or other identified interests.
In this corpus: Significant portions of the Giuffre v. Maxwell docket were sealed for years and unsealed in stages culminating in January 2024.
Redaction
The masking of specific text in an otherwise public document, typically to protect personal identifying information, victim identities, or other categories of sensitive material.
In this corpus: Many documents in the corpus include redactions in the original PDFs; the underlying text of redacted passages is not recoverable.
Grand jury
A panel of citizens convened to evaluate evidence and decide whether to issue an indictment. Federal grand jury proceedings are confidential under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e).
In this corpus: Grand jury materials are generally not part of any public release and are therefore not in the indexed corpus.
Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA)
A 2004 federal statute granting specific procedural rights to victims of federal crimes, including the right to be reasonably notified of and heard at proceedings involving the case.
In this corpus: A 2019 federal court ruling found that the government violated the CVRA in negotiating the 2008 non-prosecution agreement without notifying victims.
FOIA — Freedom of Information Act
A federal statute that grants the public a right to request access to records of federal agencies, subject to enumerated exemptions for privacy, law enforcement, and other categories.
In this corpus: Many documents in the corpus reached the public record through FOIA requests by journalists and researchers; others were released directly by DOJ or congressional committees.
Inspector General (IG / OIG)
An independent oversight office within a federal department that conducts audits, inspections, and investigations of the department’s programs and personnel.
In this corpus: The DOJ Office of the Inspector General produced the 2023 report on conditions at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR)
The DOJ component that investigates allegations of professional misconduct by Department attorneys. OPR’s findings are categorized — "professional misconduct," "poor judgment," "mistake," and so on.
In this corpus: OPR’s November 2020 report concluded that former U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta exercised "poor judgment" in handling the 2008 case.
Pretrial detention
The holding of a defendant in custody after charging but before trial, typically when a court has determined that release would pose a flight risk or danger to the community.
In this corpus: Epstein was held in pretrial detention at the Metropolitan Correctional Center between his July 2019 arraignment and his death on August 10, 2019.
Definitions on this page are not legal advice. For authoritative interpretations of
federal procedure, consult the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Federal Rules of
Civil Procedure, or qualified counsel.