There is a clear trend over time towards more requests for surveillance, with a doubling from 2000 to 2006. Also, prior to 2000, the FISA Court had not modified a single request; in 2006, the Court modified 73.
The first year that the Court rejected an application was 1999.
Table Source: FISA
FISA Applications for Electronic Surveillance and Physical Search
Calendar 1979 - 2006
| Year | Applications | Approved | Substantially Modified |
| 2006 | 2,181 | 2,176 | 73 |
| 2005 | 2,074 | 2,072 | 61 |
| 2004 | 1,758 | 1,754 | 94 |
| 2003 | 1,727 | 1,724 | 79 |
| 2002 | 1,228 | 1,228 | 2 |
| 2001 | 932 | 934 | 4 |
| 2000 | 1,005 | 1,003 | 1 |
| 1999 | 886 | 880 | 0 |
| 1998 | 796 | 796 | 0 |
| 1997 | 749 | 748 | 0 |
| 1996 | 839 | 839 | 0 |
| 1995 | 697 | 697 | 0 |
| 1994 | 576 | 576 | 0 |
| 1993 | 509 | 509 | 0 |
| 1992 | 484 | 484 | 0 |
| 1991 | 593 | 593 | 0 |
| 1990 | 595 | 595 | 0 |
| 1989 | 546 | 546 | 0 |
| 1988 | 534 | 534 | 0 |
| 1987 | 512 | 512 | 0 |
| 1986 | 573 | 573 | 0 |
| 1985 | 587 | 587 | 0 |
| 1984 | 635 | 635 | 0 |
| 1983 | 549 | 549 | 0 |
| 1982 | 473 | 473 | 0 |
| 1981 | 431 | 433 | 0 |
| 1980 | 319 | 322 | 0 |
| 1979 | 199 | 207 | 0 |