# Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) is a specialized federal court created by FISA. It reviews applications under several FISA authorities and reviews [[FISA Section 702|Section 702]] certifications and associated targeting, minimization, and querying procedures. For Section 702, it does not approve each individual foreign target and it does not adjudicate criminal guilt. ## Notebook evidence [[Scanned_20260730-1830]], PDF pages 5–18, repeatedly asks who reviews secret surveillance, what the court can authorize, who is absent, and how a provider becomes obligated. Pages 9, 11, 13, and 16 were triggered by public release of the [[April 2022 FISC Section 702 Opinion]]. ## Structural role The notebook recognizes that the court is both an oversight institution and part of the authorization chain. Its largely closed proceedings protect classified methods but create a recurring legitimacy problem: affected persons may never be present to contest the government's characterization. That tension is partly addressed through [[Amicus Curiae|amici]], appellate review, congressional oversight, declassification, and compliance reporting. ## Boundary A FISC order or certification approval establishes legal authorization within its scope. It does not prove that every later implementation, query, dissemination, or use complied with that authorization. ## Source - [[Scanned_20260730-1830]], PDF pages 5–18.