General Discussion

First, Maxwell has petitioned for certiorari -- she wants SCOTUS to review the appeals court decision that rejected her argument that the non-prosecution deal entered into by feds in Florida with Epstein should be interpreted as applying not only in Florida but also in other district courts, including the New York district court where she was tried and convicted. The issue of whether an agreement such as that one applies in all districts or only where it was entered into has divided the different courts of appeals -- and resolving a circuit split is often, but not always, the type of issue the SCOTUS often takes up.

Second, it has been scheduled for the Court to consider whether to grant or deny cert on September 29 because that is the first scheduling conference of the fall Supreme Court term. It will be one of hundreds and hundreds of petitions that will be considered at that time. The vast, vast majority will be denied and a relative handful will be granted. It takes the support of four of the nine justices for the petition to hear the case to be granted.

If Maxwell's petition is denied -- which is what the Trump DOJ has argued should happen -- Maxwell stays in jail. If the petition is granted -- because at least four justices think the case is "cert worthy", the court would then, typically, schedule briefing and oral arguments. Thereafter, sometime in late 2025 at the earliest and more likely sometime in 2026, the court would decide the case on the merits.Even if they grant cert it is not guaranteed that Maxwell willl win -- lower court decisions often are affirmed after the Court grants certiorari. If the decision on the merits is to affirm the lower court decision, Maxwell stays in jail. If the court resolves the circuit court split by siding with the courts that treat agreements such as the one at issue here as enforceable only in the district where entered, Maxwell's conviction would be overturned.

Sorry if the above rains on someone's parade.