The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein. The justices Monday declined to take up a case that would've renewed attention on the Epstein sexual-abuse saga after President Donald Trump's administration sought to tamp down criticism over its refusal to publicly release more investigative files. Trump's Republican administration had urged the high court to stay out of the case. Lawyers for Maxwell argued she never should've been tried or convicted for a role in luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. Maxwell is serving 20 years and recently was transferred from a Florida prison to a Texas prison camp.

The Supreme Court has opened its new term. The court Monday rejected more than 800 pending appeals, including a challenge by Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's imprisoned ex-girlfriend. In its first arguments, the court also appeared to be inclined to rule against a criminal defendant from Texas in a case about the constitutional right to a lawyer. A major thrust of the next 10 months is expected to be the justices' evaluation of President Donald Trump's claims of presidential power. Pivotal cases on voting and LGBTQ rights also are on the agenda. On Tuesday, the justices will hear arguments over bans passed by many states on therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity.