Pandemic and recovery trends
The data reveals differing impacts across record categories during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
While categories such as employment, financial, and banking records experienced initial declines, healthcare, pharmacy, and insurance-related records continued increasing throughout much of the period analyzed.
By YTD June 2026, every major subpoena category examined exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
Why this matters
The Index shows substantial growth in subpoena activity across multiple record categories and jurisdictions. While the data does not identify the factors driving individual requests, the findings provide a view into how demand for third-party records has changed over time. Organizations involved in receiving, managing, or responding to subpoenas may find these trends useful for understanding the evolving legal and compliance landscape.
About the findings
The Legal Records Demand Index reports observed subpoena activity trends within the analyzed data set. The findings identify changes in subpoena volume over time but do not determine the causes of those changes or the nature of the underlying legal matters.
Methodology
The CT Corporation Legal Records Demand Index analyzes subpoena activity managed through CT Corporation's service of process operations between YTD June 2019 and YTD June 2026. The analysis examines subpoena trends by record type and jurisdiction and compares subpoena activity with non-subpoena service of process volumes. Certain customer affiliations with atypical growth patterns or incomplete historical data were excluded to provide a more consistent longitudinal view.
