# courtlistener_verify_citation

A read tool on the Courtlistener MCP server.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `courtlistener_verify_citation`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-verify-citation

## Facts

- Tool: `courtlistener_verify_citation`
- Server: Courtlistener (`defendthedisabled/courtlistener-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/DefendTheDisabled/courtlistener-mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade A, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "courtlistener_verify_citation",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why courtlistener_verify_citation is rated Low

Citation verification checks whether citations are valid or exist within the legal database—a read-only retrieval operation. The tool name strongly suggests looking up and validating citation references rather than creating, executing, or destroying data. No side effects are expected beyond returning verification results.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool name 'courtlistener_verify_citation' indicates a verification/lookup function. The server description mentions 'citation verification' as a core feature."

## Use case

AI agents call courtlistener_verify_citation to retrieve information from Courtlistener without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Courtlistener:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "courtlistener_verify_citation": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Courtlistener (11)

- `courtlistener_get_case` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-get-case.md
- `courtlistener_get_citing_cases` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-get-citing-cases.md
- `courtlistener_get_court_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-get-court-info.md
- `courtlistener_get_docket` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-get-docket.md
- `courtlistener_get_opinion` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-get-opinion.md
- `courtlistener_list_courts` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-list-courts.md
- `courtlistener_search_cases_hybrid` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-search-cases-hybrid.md
- `courtlistener_search_cases_keyword` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-search-cases-keyword.md
- `courtlistener_search_cases_semantic` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-search-cases-semantic.md
- `courtlistener_search_judges` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-search-judges.md
- `courtlistener_search_oral_arguments` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp/courtlistener-search-oral-arguments.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/defendthedisabled-courtlistener-mcp