&gt; A NSL is a subpoena, meaning an order to produce information.<p>Well, yes and no. They <i>do not</i> come from a court (I&#x27;ve heard), so they are not a subpoena in the <i>court</i> sense, nor a <i>court</i> order. But they are an order to produce information, so I assume calling one a &quot;subpoena&quot; is correct, and I&#x27;m not arguing with you there. Just want to make clear for those reading without a law background that NSLs <i>do not</i> involve a court, which &quot;subpoena&quot; might imply.<p>An NSL (I&#x27;ve heard, hypothetical, yadda yadda) basically amounts to the FBI citing statute authority to demand information about a suspect and does not rest on, nor require, a court case. Indeed, the whole point the government makes about the nondisclosure aspect of an NSL is to keep a matter discreet from the investigated party for reasons of national security or imminent death (which a court case, on which to issue court-ordered subpoenas, would make far more difficult).<p>U.S. law specifically discusses upgrading an NSL to a court order in district court, for reasons of noncompliance.