(a) The General Counsel may impose conditions or restrictions on the release of records and agency information, including the requirement that parties to the proceeding obtain a protective order or execute a confidentiality agreement to limit access and any further disclosure. The terms of the protective order or of a confidentiality agreement must be acceptable to the General Counsel. In cases where protective orders or confidentiality agreements have already been executed, NARA may condition the release of records and agency information on an amendment to the existing protective order or confidentiality agreement.

(b) Typically, original NARA records will not be produced in response to a demand. Instead of the original records, NARA provides certified copies for evidentiary purposes (see 28 U.S.C. 1733; 44 U.S.C. 2116). Such copies must be given judicial notice and must be admitted into evidence equally with the originals from which they were made (see 44 U.S.C. 2116). If the General Counsel so determines, under exceptional circumstances, original NARA records may be made available for examination in response to a demand, but they are not to be presented as evidence.