LegalAIMCP

Setup guide

How to Connect Claude to CourtListener via MCP

Free Law Project's official MCP server — search millions of court opinions, dockets, and judges from your AI assistant. This guide walks through connecting Free Law Project's official hosted MCP server to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, or any other MCP client.

Prerequisites

  • Claude Code, Claude Desktop, or another MCP-compatible client
  • A free CourtListener account for OAuth sign-in — no separate API key needed to get started
  • Free with a CourtListener account; higher API limits with Free Law Project membership tiers

1. Install: Claude Code

Run this in your terminal:

claude mcp add --transport http courtlistener https://mcp.courtlistener.com

Or: Claude Desktop, Cursor, and other MCP clients

Add this to your client's MCP configuration file:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "courtlistener": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.courtlistener.com"
    }
  }
}

2. Authenticate

The server uses OAuth against your CourtListener account rather than a static API key. The first tool call from your client triggers a browser sign-in flow — approve it there, and the client stores the resulting session for future calls.

3. Test it

Once connected, ask Claude something you'd normally search CourtListener for directly — a case name, a circuit split question, or a docket lookup. A working connection returns cited opinions and docket data in the conversation instead of a tool-not-found error.

Troubleshooting

  • Client can't reach the server. Confirm the transport is set to http and the endpoint is exactly https://mcp.courtlistener.com — a typo in either silently fails on most clients rather than erroring clearly.
  • Requests get rate-limited. Free accounts have daily query limits; a paid Free Law Project membership raises the ceiling. This is a CourtListener account setting, not a client-side config option.
  • Nothing happens after adding the config. Most MCP clients require a full restart (not just closing the window) to pick up a new server entry.

Frequently asked questions

Does the CourtListener MCP server require an API key?

No. It uses OAuth against your CourtListener account rather than a static API key — the first tool call from your client opens a browser sign-in, and the client stores the resulting session for future calls.

Do I need a paid CourtListener account to use it?

No, a free account is enough to get started. Free accounts have daily query limits; a paid Free Law Project membership raises the ceiling.

What do I check if my MCP client can't reach the CourtListener server?

Confirm the transport is set to http and the endpoint is exactly right — a typo in either silently fails on most clients rather than erroring clearly. Also confirm the client was fully restarted after adding the server, since most clients require a restart to pick up a new entry.

Where can I find the current install command for CourtListener MCP?

The full listing at legalaimcp.com/servers/courtlistener-mcp always shows the current install command and pricing details.

See the full CourtListener MCP listing for current pricing and details, or read our analysis of what the CourtListener connector means for litigators.

A practical next step

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