Welcome to the X9.144 Legal Record Request Standard Information Page
This page provides a comprehensive overview of the X9.144 standard and highlights its benefits for both financial institutions and Requesters of legal records.
Upcoming X9.144 Event
Stay informed—register for the X9 Legal Orders Industry Forum to receive alerts and updates about the X9.144 standard.
In September, the Industry Forum will host a special event covering in-depth technical and operational aspects of X9.144. This session is tailored for project managers, technology leads, and subpoena response managers.
Meeting details will be distributed in the coming weeks to registered participants.
Attendance is limited to organizations that are X9 members or have purchased the X9.144 standard through ANSI.
General Information About the X9.144 Standard
In a Nutshell
The ANSI X9.144 standard establishes a standardized electronic file format for the service of criminal and civil subpoenas, preservation requests, and legally authorized third-party record requests. The standard addresses both the production of records and/or the appearance of an employee, as well as follow up requests to the initial request.
The electronic format enables financial institutions (generically referred to as “served entities”) to automate the intake of requests. In addition, to enable the automated retrieval of response documents, X9.144 provides a standardized list of “products” typically produced in response by financial institutions. For served entities that have unique records, the standard also includes a means to accommodate data structures through a separate written agreement between the requester and the served entity.
By receiving electronic, structured, machine-readable requests, financial institutions can fully automate the receipt and processing of served requests. For example, each request contains structured details about the nature and scope of the demand, enabling served entities to interpret the request programmatically and initiate a consistent, compliant response.
The scope of the standard is limited as follows:
- This standard applies exclusively to legal record requests issued by authorities within the United States. International requests are outside its scope.
- The standard does not specify how the electronic file should be served. The served entity and requester must establish their own agreement covering service expectations, including method, scope, and response time.
- The standard does not address how response files are formatted or delivered.
- The standard does not supersede any applicable laws or regulations. Served Entities are responsible for ensuring compliance with all governing legal requirements when processing requests.
History of the Standard
The ANSI X9.144 standard was developed by the Legal Orders Work Group (X9B4), a subgroup of the Financial Services Operations Subcommittee (X9B). Built through collaboration among financial institutions, legal service providers, law enforcement, and industry experts, the standard was formally approved as an American National Standard by ANSI in 2025.
Obtain a Copy of the Standard
Members of X9 receive a free copy of the standard, while non-members can purchase it through the ANSI Webstore.
URL: webstore.ansi.org
Search for: ANSI X9.144-2025
Problems Solved
Legal record requests today often arrive via mail, email, fax, or physical delivery, which leads to manual intake processes, delayed turnaround, and heightened risk of processing errors. X9.144 addresses these inefficiencies by defining a consistent, electronic format for structured request delivery.
BENEFITS FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Automated Intake
Receive legal record requests in a structured, machine-readable format, enabling automated intake into internal systems.
Automated Response Preparation
Use the standardized data fields to identify and collect the required documents for response with minimal manual effort.
Operational Efficiency
Reduce the time, effort, and staff resources needed to process incoming legal record requests.
Error Minimization
Structured formats reduce ambiguity and prevent data entry mistakes or misinterpretation of request details.
Risk
Mitigation
Accelerated processing lowers the risk of delayed responses and associated compliance exposure.
BENEFITS FOR REQUESTORS
Paperless & Instant
Avoid the delays and costs of printing and hand delivery – structured electronic requests are served with speed and zero paper waste.
Improved Traceability
Digital delivery provides confirmation of receipt, improves transparency, and enhances accountability throughout the service process.
Faster Results
Electronic submission enables faster initiation and turnaround of legal record requests.
One Format, Better Outcomes
Use a consistent structure that’s easier for recipients to understand and act on—leading to fewer errors and better results.
For More Information
Read the X9.144 Press Release
Contacts:
Tom Melling, Chair X9B4 Legal Order Processing Workgroup
Diana Muse, Vice Chair of X9B4 Legal Order Processing Workgroup
Have a question? Feel free to contact us.