CourtListener Legal Research

You run a CourtListener-based MCP server that enables legal research across thousands of courts. This server exposes Core Legal Research tools and integrates with CourtListener data, giving you programmatic access to case searches, case details, precedents, and PACER-related data through an MCP client.

How to use

Set up your MCP client to connect to the CourtListener MCP server and use the Core Legal Research tools to search cases, retrieve case details, find similar precedents, analyze outcomes, and track trends. You will provide an API key to access CourtListener data and then run the server locally to start querying through your MCP client. Use the client’s workflow to build research pipelines, automate repetitive searches, and assemble comprehensive case insights.

How to install

Prerequisites you need on your machine: Node.js and npm. You may also use a Git client if you prefer to clone from source.

# Install from npm
npm install @khizar-anjum/courtlistener-mcp

# Or install from source
git clone https://github.com/khizar-anjum/courtlistener-mcp.git
cd courtlistener-mcp
npm install

# Setup API key for CourtListener access
echo 'COURTLISTENER_API_KEY="your_api_key"' > .env

# Generate the list of courts
npm run generate-courts

# Build and run the server
npm run build
npm run dev

Additional notes

The server uses a CourtListener API key you must obtain and supply. You can get a free API key from CourtListener. After setup, you will run the server in development mode and connect your MCP client to the local runtime to perform searches, fetch case details, and analyze outcomes.

Available tools

search_cases_by_problem

Find relevant cases using natural language legal problems

get_case_details

Deep dive into specific cases with full opinion text

find_similar_precedents

Discover cases with similar legal reasoning

analyze_case_outcomes

Analyze outcome patterns for success prediction

get_judge_analysis

Understand judge's ruling patterns for strategy

validate_citations

Verify and expand legal citations

get_procedural_requirements

Find filing requirements and court rules

track_legal_trends

Identify trends in case law

search_pacer_dockets

Search federal PACER dockets via RECAP data

search_parties_attorneys

Track attorney representation patterns

track_case_status

Monitor case status and recent activity

get_docket_entries

Detailed timeline of filings and orders

analyze_case_timeline

In-depth case progression analysis

get_case_documents

Access court documents with full-text extraction