Q. I'm researching an old criminal case in New York City. The case files of the Governor of New York and the District Attorney of New York County, and the transcript of a Grand Jury investigation are of large importance in this case. I want to know whether these documents exist or not. May the FOIA, or any other legal principle, grant one the right to know whether or not such documents still exist? Does it matter whether I am an American citizen or not?

A. Be prepared to do some digging. For the records of former governors, I suggest contacting the New York State Archives. For older records concerning the City of New York, including court cases, you'll want to contact the Municipal Archives.  As far as I know, copies of records maintained in these archives cannot be obtained through public information requests, e.g., New York’s Freedom of Information Law. The records can be reviewed and copied on site, however. Certain records might be available online, but you’ll need to browse their digital collections.