In a rare, perhaps unprecedented move by a federal judge, the alleged victims of sexual abuser Jeffrey Epstein are expected to given a chance to speak Tuesday at a posthumous hearing on plans to dismiss his sexual trafficking indictment.

The onetime Palm Beach billionaire was convicted years ago in state court of sexually abusing underage girls after federal prosecutors reached a secret nonprosecution deal. He died by suicide Aug. 10 after being denied bond on new parallel charges in Manhattan.

Prosecutors filed a dismissal motion after he died. But U.S. District Judge Richard Bergman of the Southern District of New York said there is a public interest in a learning about the process, and he indicated testimony from victims would be part of it.

High-profile attorneys, including Gloria Allred, began walking into the courthouse Tuesday with their clients. Throngs of news media waited outside the building and then quickly surrounded the lawyers  and their clients as they approached the building.

Allred said she was heartened that the "unprecedented" hearing would allow victims to speak.

The move by Bergman has been criticized by some as going against normal procedure since Epstein was never proven guilty in the New York case.