The full upstream README, mirrored here for reference. Install config, tool schemas, adoption signals, and an original overview live on the Legalcite listing page.
Stop your AI from citing fake cases. LegalCite checks every case citation in legal text against real court records (CourtListener) and flags hallucinated/fake or misattributed cites. A REST API + an MCP server.
GET /api/verify?text=<paragraph> (or ?citation="410 U.S. 113"; also POST {text})verify_citations(text) → npm legalcite-mcp| verdict | meaning |
|---|---|
real | the case exists and (if named) the name matches |
not-found | no such case — likely hallucinated |
mismatch | citation is real, but the case name in the text is wrong |
/c/{reporter}/{vol}/{page}/ finder (redirects to the opinion when real, 404 when not).COURTLISTENER_TOKEN (free) → uses CourtListener's citation-lookup endpoint (Eyecite extraction + full metadata).It never fabricates — an unresolved citation is reported not-found, never invented.
COURTLISTENER_TOKEN — free; enables richer citation-lookup + metadata.REDIS_URL — Upstash; enables hard daily quota + caching (fail-open without it).STRIPE_SECRET_KEY / STRIPE_PRICE_ID / STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET — Pro billing.Free: 20 checks/day by IP. Pro: 2,000/day, $19/mo, 7-day trial.
Not legal advice. Verifies citation existence/metadata only — not legal correctness or good-law status.