IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA¶
CA FLORIDA HOLDINGS, LLC, Publisher of THE PALM BEACH POST,¶
Plaintiff, VS.¶
SHARON BOCK, as Clerk and Comptroller of Palm Beach County, Florida,¶
Defendant.¶
UNOPPOSED MOTION FOR LIMITED MLR(4 PN ION¶
American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.; Blo t ., the publisher of Bloomberg News; Cable News Network, Inc.; 84e , Corporation stations WFTV/WRDQ (Orlando) and WJAX/WF nville); Court TV Media, LLC; Dow & Company, Inc.; Gray is G p, Inc. stations WCJB (Gainesville), WCTV (Tallahassee-Thomasv (West Pam Beach-Ft. Pierce), WJHG-TV (Panama City) and WWSB am -St. Petersburg (Sarasota)); NBCUniversal Media, LLC; The New York ompany; Orlando Sentinel Media Group; Scripps Media, Inc. and its st s WP -TV (West Palm Beach), WFTS-TV (Tampa), WFTX-TV (Ft. Myers-N W FL-TV (Miami), and WTXL-TV (Tallahassee); Sun Sentinel Media Gr mundo Network Group LLC; and Univision Networks & Studios, Inc. (collectively, the “Media Intervenors”) move to intervene in this action for the limited purpose of asserting their right of access, pursuant to Section 905.27, Florida Statutes, to any released grand jury materials involving Jeffrey Epstein, and state as follows:¶
Case No. 50-2019-CA-014681-AG¶
O SA¶
I. The Media Intervenors are national, regional and local news and media organizations that publish and broadcast information throughout the United States, including Florida. Each of the Media Intervenors has reported on the controversies surrounding Mr. Epstein and employ public and court records as important newsgathering sources.¶
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The Plaintiff in this case, The Palm Beach Post, has sought to jury materials relating to Mr. Epstein. The controversy surrounding Mr the criminal investigation into his alleged sex trafficking of minors, deal, are well known to the Court. lting plea
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On February 29, 2024, the Court ente r( i t o ruling that under the current iteration of Section 905.27, Florida Slat S? g the grand jury materials , would not further the interests of justice. et the court explained that, pursuant to an amendment of Section 905.27 seto e effect on July I, 2024, the Court would entertain a motion for reconsid C c o the statute changes.
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On June 12, 024, e Palm Beach Post (“Post”) filed a Motion for Reconsideration of th • Court’s February 29, 2024 Order. [DIN 208] The motion explained tha ments to Section 905.27 were intended to remove all prior statutory to disclosure of the Epstein grand jury materials and that access to the aterials serves the public interest.
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Like the Post, Media Intervenors fulfill the requirements of Section 905.27(2)(c), as amended. They are requesting disclosure of grand jury materials as members of the media and, as explained in the Post’s motion, all statutory conditions for release have been met: Mr. Epstein was the target of grand jury testimony relating to
criminal sexual activities between and adult and a minor, Mr. Epstein is deceased, the Fourth District Court of Appeals ordered release of the grand jury materials for an in camera review (which has been completed), and the current State Attorney was a party to this litigation and ultimately adopted a neutral position concerning disclosure.¶
- As such, Media Intervenors seek to intervene in this matter for the limited purpose of procuring access to any materials that, upon reconsideration, theCddsl de AS” to be disclosed.
(atter, see 7. The Media Intervenors possess standing to interve Miami Herald Publ’g Co. v. McIntosh, 340 So. 2d 904, 908 AQ . for the purpose of “imparting a more complete understanding to the p o judicial system.” Miami Herald Publishing Co. v.M, 426 So.2d 1, 6 S. 8 . See also WESH Television, Inc. v. Freeman, 691 So. 2d 532, 535 (Fla 997) (media must be permitted to intervene and be heard on motion g ac to public records); News-Press Publ’g Co. v. State, 345 so. 2d 865, 8 A 1977) (media permitted to intervene with respect to order that had th al effect of making it more difficult for the press to obtain information ab e case which it may wish to publish”).’¶
- a Me a Intervenors communicated with counsel for both Plaintiff and Defenda er of whom oppose the relief sought in this motion.
By an agreed order dated February 28, 2024, the Court permitted the Associated Press to intervene in this action. [DIN 183] The Court similarly entered an agreed order on March 5, 2024, granting the McClatchy Company, LLC’s motion to intervene. [DIN 187]¶
WHEREFORE, the Media Intervenors seek intervention in this case for the limited purpose of obtaining access to the grand jury materials related to Mr. Epstein.¶
Respectfully submitted, SHULLMAN FUGATE PLLC
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/s/ Rachel E. Fugate Rachel E. Fugate Florida Bar No. 0144029 rfugate@shullmanfugate.com Deanna K. Shullman Florida Bar No. 514462 dshullman shullman Minch Minchin Florida Bar No. 1015 mminchin@s fugate.com 2101 Vista uite 4006 West Pa lorida 33411 Tel: ( 8¶
407 or the Media Intervenors¶
CERTIFI OF SERVICE¶
I HEREBY CERTIFY d correct copy of the foregoing has been famished via the Florida C mg Portal this 24th day of June 2024, which will provide service to all counsel record.¶
/s/ Rachel E. Fugate Attorney for the Media Intervenors
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