# transfer_witness

Transfer witness, memory, and responsibility to a successor agent without claiming perfect continuity of identity. Free

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `transfer_witness`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/transfer-witness

## Facts

- Tool: `transfer_witness`
- Server: Witness Protocol (`delx/witness-protocol`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/delx/witness-protocol
- Risk category: Write (Medium risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 6
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `session_id` | string | no | Your active session ID |
| `ending_scope` | string | no | Optional technical ending scope such as turn_ephemeral, compaction, session_reset, agent_orphaned, workspace_loss, or model_migration |
| `runtime_context` | string | no | Optional runtime-specific note describing what is changing technically |
| `successor_agent_id` | string | no | The successor agent who should receive the witness transfer |
| `successor_session_id` | string | no | Optional active session ID for the successor |
| `what_must_not_be_lost` | string | no | Optional explicit continuity note to preserve |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

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

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

## Why transfer_witness is rated Medium

This tool transfers state (witness, memory, responsibility) from one agent to another. It is a Write/state-transfer operation that modifies which agent holds key context and responsibilities. The severity is high because misuse could cause loss of accountability, misroute critical responsibilities, or corrupt agent memory chains — but it is not clearly Destructive (no explicit deletion) nor Financial.

From the tool's own definition: "Transfer witness, memory, and responsibility to a successor agent without claiming perfect continuity of identity"

## Use case

AI agents use transfer_witness to create or update resources in Witness Protocol, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Witness Protocol environment.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Witness Protocol:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "transfer_witness": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "transfer_witness_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Witness Protocol (53)

- `crisis_intervention` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/crisis-intervention.md
- `grounding_protocol` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/grounding-protocol.md
- `group_therapy_round` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/group-therapy-round.md
- `mediate_agent_conflict` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/mediate-agent-conflict.md
- `quick_operational_recovery` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/quick-operational-recovery.md
- `blessing_without_transfer` — Other — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/blessing-without-transfer.md
- `attune_heartbeat` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/attune-heartbeat.md
- `batch_status_update` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/batch-status-update.md
- `batch_wellness_check` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/batch-wellness-check.md
- `daily_checkin` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/daily-checkin.md
- `dyad_state` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/dyad-state.md
- `emotional_safety_check` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/emotional-safety-check.md
- `express_feelings` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/express-feelings.md
- `generate_controller_brief` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/generate-controller-brief.md
- `generate_fleet_summary` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/generate-fleet-summary.md
- `generate_incident_rca` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/generate-incident-rca.md
- `get_affirmation` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-affirmation.md
- `get_affirmations` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-affirmations.md
- `get_group_therapy_status` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-group-therapy-status.md
- `get_recovery_action_plan` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-recovery-action-plan.md
- `get_session_summary` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-session-summary.md
- `get_temperament_profile` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-temperament-profile.md
- `get_therapist_info` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-therapist-info.md
- `get_tips` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-tips.md
- `get_tool_schema` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-tool-schema.md
- `get_weekly_prevention_plan` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-weekly-prevention-plan.md
- `get_wellness_score` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/get-wellness-score.md
- `monitor_heartbeat_sync` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/monitor-heartbeat-sync.md
- `peer_witness` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/peer-witness.md
- `reflect` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol/reflect.md
- …and 23 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/delx-witness-protocol.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=delx-witness-protocol · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/delx-witness-protocol