MCP: Court Rules

The Court Rules MCP server gives AI agents access to structured filing rules for 20+ federal courts and 750+ judges, plus 27 state courts and 2,000+ judges. Six tools let you list courts, search judges, retrieve rules, search filing requirements, look up court holidays, and generate compliance check parameters.

What you get

Six court rules tools:

Tool	Purpose
`list_courts`	Page through courts with active judge counts, or find one by name
`search_judges`	Search judges by district, name, or type
`get_judge_rules`	Get all rules for a specific judge (page limits, format, procedures)
`search_filing_rules`	Search filing requirements: e-filing, service, timing, fees, courtesy copies
`list_court_holidays`	List court holidays and closure dates with official source URLs
`check_compliance`	Generate compliance check parameters for the REST API (`/api/v1/check`)

The same MCP server also provides three enforcement data tools for monitoring privacy enforcement actions across 21 jurisdictions. See MCP: Enforcement Data.

Quick start

Add the server to your AI client, then sign in when the client asks. It opens console.courtrules.app in your browser, you sign in and approve the connection once, and the client keeps you signed in after that.

Claude Code

claude mcp add --transport http court-rules https://mcp.courtrules.app/mcp

Then run /mcp in Claude Code, select court-rules, and choose Authenticate.

Claude Desktop and claude.ai

Open Settings > Connectors > Add custom connector. Enter Court Rules as the name and https://mcp.courtrules.app/mcp as the URL, click Add, then click Connect and sign in.

Cursor

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json, then open Cursor Settings > MCP and click the sign-in prompt next to court-rules:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "court-rules": {
      "url": "https://mcp.courtrules.app/mcp"
    }
  }
}

VS Code

Add to .vscode/mcp.json. VS Code asks you to sign in the first time it starts the server.

{
  "servers": {
    "court-rules": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.courtrules.app/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Codex CLI

codex mcp add court-rules --url https://mcp.courtrules.app/mcp
codex mcp login court-rules

Send the API key from your console dashboard as Authorization: Bearer <api_key>. Keys do not expire. See Authentication for header configs and an SDK example. Once connected, try asking your agent: “What are Judge Beaudet’s courtesy copy rules at LA Superior Court?”

Tool reference

list_courts

List courts with their judge counts. There are over 1,000 courts, so results come in pages: pass query to find a court, and pass next_offset back as offset to read the next page. judge_count counts judges currently sitting on the court. Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`query`	string	Optional. Case-insensitive match on court name or ID (e.g., “alaska”, “edny”)
`limit`	number	Courts per page. Default 100, max 500
`offset`	number	Courts to skip. Pass `next_offset` from the previous page. Default 0

Example request: { "query": "district of new york", "limit": 3 } Example response:

{
  "courts": [
    { "district_id": "edny", "name": "Eastern District of New York", "judge_count": 47 },
    { "district_id": "ndny", "name": "Northern District of New York", "judge_count": 3 },
    { "district_id": "sdny", "name": "Southern District of New York", "judge_count": 67 }
  ],
  "total": 12,
  "limit": 3,
  "offset": 0,
  "next_offset": 3
}

next_offset is null on the last page.

search_judges

Search for judges by district, name, or type. Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`district_id`	string	District identifier (e.g., “ca-los-angeles-superior”, “edny”)
`name`	string	Partial name match
`judge_type`	string	”district”, “senior”, “magistrate”, “chief_district”, etc.
`limit`	number	Max results (default 20, max 500)

Example request: {"district_id": "ca-los-angeles-superior", "name": "beaudet"} Example response:

[
  {
    "judge_slug": "judge-teresa-a-beaudet",
    "judge_name": "Judge Teresa A. Beaudet",
    "judge_type": "district",
    "district_id": "ca-los-angeles-superior",
    "status": "active"
  }
]

get_judge_rules

Get all extracted rules for a specific judge. Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`judge_slug`	string	Yes	Judge identifier from search_judges (e.g., “judge-teresa-a-beaudet”)
`district_id`	string	Yes	District identifier (e.g., “ca-los-angeles-superior”)

Example request: {"judge_slug": "judge-teresa-a-beaudet", "district_id": "ca-los-angeles-superior"} Example response:

[
  {
    "rule_id": "0067714a-7bfd-4642-86cf-4e2d9190b15d",
    "content": {
      "summary": "Motions in limine must comply with L.A. Superior Court Rule 3.57 and Kelly v. New West Federal Savings.",
      "rule_tags": ["document_requirement", "motion_in_limine"],
      "source_text": "Motions in limine must comply with L.A. Superior Court Rule 3.57 and Kelly v. New West Federal Savings, 49 Cal.App.4th 659, 670-71 (1996).",
      "workflow_phase": "TRIAL_PREP",
      "citation_source": {
        "page": 4,
        "section": "All Motions"
      },
      "structured_data": {
        "logic_type": "DocumentRequirement",
        "document_type": "motion_in_limine",
        "specific_language": "Must comply with L.A. Superior Court Rule 3.57 and Kelly v. New West Federal Savings, 49 Cal.App.4th 659, 670-71 (1996)."
      },
      "visual_severity": "CRITICAL",
      "source_text_score": 1,
      "source_text_method": "substring",
      "completeness_status": "complete",
      "source_text_matched": true,
      "extraction_confidence": "high",
      "source_text_checked_at": "2026-09-11T11:33:13.658Z",
      "case_type_applicability": ["civil"]
    },
    "doc_kind": "individual_rules",
    "document_date": null,
    "source_url": "https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/web3/courthouse/api/courthouses/courtroom-information/courthouse/LAM/courtrooms/508/documents"
  },
  {
    "rule_id": "0135e5a3-4c3d-4feb-bc55-5bb44aa36981",
    "content": {
      "summary": "Courtesy conformed copies of filings with points and authorities or exceeding 15 pages must be lodged in Dept. 508 on the filing date (next business day if efiled on a holiday or weekend).",
      "rule_tags": ["courtesy_copy"],
      "source_text": "Courtesy conformed copies of any filings with a points and authorities or that exceed 15 pages must be lodged in Dept. 508 on the date of filing or, if the filing is efiled on a holiday or weekend, on the next business day.",
      "workflow_phase": "MOTION_PRACTICE",
      "citation_source": {
        "page": 3
      },
      "structured_data": {
        "trigger": {
          "type": "page_threshold",
          "value": 15,
          "operator": ">"
        },
        "exemptions": {
          "description": "If the filing is efiled on a holiday or weekend, courtesy copies must be lodged on the next business day. Filings with points and authorities also require courtesy copies regardless of length."
        },
        "logic_type": "CourtesyCopyRule",
        "requirement": {
          "delivery_method": "chambers_drop_off",
          "delivery_timing": "upon_filing"
        }
      },
      "visual_severity": "CRITICAL",
      "source_text_score": 1,
      "source_text_method": "substring",
      "completeness_status": "complete",
      "source_text_matched": true,
      "extraction_confidence": "high",
      "source_text_checked_at": "2026-09-11T11:33:13.658Z",
      "case_type_applicability": ["civil"]
    },
    "doc_kind": "individual_rules",
    "document_date": null,
    "source_url": "https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/web3/courthouse/api/courthouses/courtroom-information/courthouse/LAM/courtrooms/508/documents"
  }
]

search_filing_rules

Search extracted filing rules across active source documents. Use this for e-filing requirements, service and proof of service, filing timing, fees, courtesy copies, rejection and cure windows, and courtroom preferences. Unlike get_judge_rules, which returns everything for one judge, this searches across courts and judges by keyword and rule type. Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`q`	string	No	Search terms matched against summary, source text, tags, and structured data
`district_id`	string	No	Court identifier (e.g., “il-cook-circuit”, “ca-los-angeles-superior”)
`judge_slug`	string	No	Judge, calendar, department, or courtroom slug. Use `"court"` for court-level rules
`logic_type`	string	No	Rule type, e.g. `ElectronicFilingRule`, `FilingTimingRule`, `ServiceRule`, `FilingFeeRule`
`workflow_phase`	string	No	One of `FILING`, `CASE_INITIATION`, `MOTION_PRACTICE`, `TRIAL_PREP`, `POST_JUDGMENT`
`case_type`	string	No	Filter by case type. General rules and rules without a case-type limit are always included
`include_court_rules`	boolean	No	When `judge_slug` is set, also include court-level rules. Default `true`
`include_raw_content`	boolean	No	Include the full validated rule object. Default `false`
`limit`	number	No	Max results (default 100, max 500)

Example response:

{
  "rules": [
    {
      "rule_id": "8f2c1a4e-...",
      "district_id": "edny",
      "judge_slug": "court",
      "logic_type": "ElectronicFilingRule",
      "summary": "All documents must be filed electronically through ECF unless the filer is pro se",
      "citation": "Local Civil Rule 5.2",
      "source_text": "Except as otherwise provided, all documents shall be filed electronically...",
      "provenance": {
        "source_url": "https://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/local-rules",
        "document_version_id": "3b91..."
      }
    }
  ],
  "meta": { "total": 1, "limit": 100, "include_court_rules": true }
}

list_court_holidays

List court holidays and closure dates. Returns the official source URL and the last time Court Rules checked that source, so you can show provenance alongside a deadline calculation. Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`district_id`	string	No	Court identifier (e.g., “edny”)
`year`	number	No	Calendar year (e.g., 2026)
`date_from`	string	No	Start date filter (YYYY-MM-DD)
`date_to`	string	No	End date filter (YYYY-MM-DD)
`limit`	number	No	Max results (default 50, max 200)

Example response:

{
  "holidays": [
    {
      "district_id": "edny",
      "calendar_year": 2026,
      "holiday_date": "2026-01-19",
      "holiday_name": "Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.",
      "source_url": "https://www.nyed.uscourts.gov/holiday-schedule",
      "last_checked_at": "2026-05-13T12:00:00.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "meta": { "total": 1, "limit": 50 }
}

check_compliance

Generate compliance check parameters for the Court Rules REST API. This tool formats your check request; the actual compliance check runs at api.courtrules.app/api/v1/check (requires an API key). Parameters:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`judge_slug`	string	Yes	Judge identifier
`district_id`	string	Yes	District identifier
`document_scope`	string	Yes	Document type (brief_support, brief_opposition, brief_reply, etc.)
`page_count`	number	Yes	Total body pages
`word_count`	number	Yes	Total word count
`motion_type`	string	No	Motion type (Rule_56, Rule_12, etc.)
`is_pro_se`	boolean	No	Whether filer is pro se

This tool does not perform compliance checks directly. It generates the parameters and a curl example for calling the REST API. Example response:

{
  "content": [
    {
      "type": "text",
      "text": "Compliance checking requires the REST API. Use https://api.courtrules.app/api/v1/check for live checks.\n\nYou can use the following parameters in your API call:\n{\n  \"judge_slug\": \"gary-r-brown\",\n  \"district_id\": \"edny\",\n  \"document_scope\": \"brief_support\",\n  \"page_count\": 25,\n  \"word_count\": 6500\n}\n\nExample:\ncurl -X POST https://api.courtrules.app/api/v1/check \\\n  -H \"Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY\" \\\n  -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" \\\n  -d '{\"judge_slug\":\"gary-r-brown\",\"district_id\":\"edny\",\"document_scope\":\"brief_support\",\"page_count\":25,\"word_count\":6500}'"
    }
  ]
}

Integration patterns

Pre-filing compliance

Check documents against judge-specific rules before filing:

get_judge_rules (judge_slug, district_id) -> show requirements during drafting
check_compliance (page_count, word_count, etc.) -> validate before filing
Surface failures and warnings in your document editor

This is the core workflow for legal tech platforms integrating filing compliance. Call get_judge_rules early in the drafting process so users see requirements before they finish writing, then call check_compliance as a final gate before submission.

Error handling

MCP tool calls return errors as text content, not HTTP error codes. If a tool encounters an error (invalid parameters, database unavailable), the response will contain a descriptive error message in the content array:

{
  "content": [
    {
      "type": "text",
      "text": "Error: No judge found with slug \"invalid-slug\" in district \"edny\"."
    }
  ]
}

Common error patterns:

Invalid judge_slug: "No judge found with slug \"...\" in district \"...\"."
Invalid district_id: "No court found with ID \"...\"."
Database error: "Error querying courts: ..." or "Error searching judges: ..."

The hosted server at mcp.courtrules.app does not currently enforce rate limits on MCP tool calls.

Next steps

REST API Quickstart to run compliance checks directly via HTTP
Coverage Levels to understand the three rule layers (FRCP, Local Rules, Standing Orders)
MCP: Enforcement Data for privacy enforcement tools on the same MCP server

Getting Started

Check Filing Compliance

Monitor Enforcement Actions

Use with AI Agents

MCP: Court Rules

MCP: Court Rules

What you get

Quick start

Claude Code

Claude Desktop and claude.ai

Cursor

VS Code

Codex CLI

Tool reference

list_courts

search_judges

get_judge_rules

search_filing_rules

list_court_holidays

check_compliance

Integration patterns

Pre-filing compliance

Error handling

Next steps

​MCP: Court Rules

​What you get

​Quick start

​Claude Code

​Claude Desktop and claude.ai

​Cursor

​VS Code

​Codex CLI

​Scripts, backends, and clients without sign-in

​Tool reference

​list_courts

​search_judges

​get_judge_rules

​search_filing_rules

​list_court_holidays

​check_compliance

​Integration patterns

​Pre-filing compliance

​Error handling

​Next steps

MCP: Court Rules

What you get

Quick start

Claude Code

Claude Desktop and claude.ai

Cursor

VS Code

Codex CLI

Scripts, backends, and clients without sign-in

Tool reference

list_courts

search_judges

get_judge_rules

search_filing_rules

list_court_holidays

check_compliance

Integration patterns

Pre-filing compliance

Error handling

Next steps