in this article we review and assess over 120 studies of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, focusing on
research in accounting, law, and finance after 2005. We describe major developments in its
legal, regulatory, and institutional implementation; its effects on U.S. corporate law, disclosure
practices, and other countries’ laws; and the propensity of companies to go or remain public in the
U.S. We also note a puzzle regarding the Act’s reception in public debate. On the one hand, the law
continues to be fiercely and relentlessly attacked in the U.S., particularly in political election battles