CourtListener Legal Research MCP Server

# Contributing to CourtListener MCP Server Thank you for your interest in contributing to the CourtListener MCP Server! We welcome contributions from the community and are grateful for your support. ## How to Contribute ### 1. Fork the Repository - Navigate to the [CourtListener MCP repository](https://github.com/yourusername/courtlistener-mcp) - Click the "Fork" button in the top-right corner - Clone your fork locally: ```bash git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/courtlistener-mcp.git cd courtlistener-mcp ``` ### 2. Set Up Your Development Environment ```bash # Install dependencies npm install # Set up your API key echo 'COURTLISTENER_API_KEY="your_api_key"' > .env # Generate court resources npm run generate-courts # Build the project npm run build # Run in development mode npm run dev ``` ### 3. Create a Feature Branch ```bash git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name # or git checkout -b fix/your-bug-fix ``` ### 4. Make Your Changes - Write clean, maintainable code - Follow the existing code style and conventions - Add or update tests as needed - Update documentation if you're changing functionality ### 5. Test Your Changes ```bash # Run in development mode to test npm run dev # Validate resources if you've made court data changes npm run validate-resources ``` ### 6. Commit Your Changes - Write clear, descriptive commit messages - Use conventional commit format when possible: ``` feat: Add new search functionality fix: Resolve issue with date parsing docs: Update API documentation ``` ### 7. Push to Your Fork ```bash git push origin feature/your-feature-name ``` ### 8. Open a Pull Request - Go to the original repository on GitHub - Click "New Pull Request" - Select your fork and branch - Provide a clear description of your changes: - What problem does this solve? - What changes did you make? - Any breaking changes? - Screenshots if applicable ### 9. Code Review - Wait for maintainers to review your PR - Respond to any feedback or requested changes - Once approved, your changes will be merged! ## Development Guidelines ### Code Style - Use TypeScript for all new code - Follow existing naming conventions - Keep functions focused and single-purpose - Add type definitions for all parameters and return values ### Court Data Updates If you're updating court data: ```bash # Update court resources npm run update-courts # Validate the generated resources npm run validate-resources ``` ### API Integration - Respect CourtListener API rate limits - Handle errors gracefully - Cache responses when appropriate - Follow CourtListener's API guidelines ### Documentation - Update README.md for user-facing changes - Add JSDoc comments for new functions - Update type definitions as needed - Include examples for new features ## Types of Contributions We welcome various types of contributions: - **Bug Fixes**: Found a bug? Submit a fix! - **New Features**: Add new tools or enhance existing ones - **Documentation**: Improve README, add examples, fix typos - **Court Data**: Update court resources and mappings - **Performance**: Optimize code for better performance - **Testing**: Add test coverage - **Accessibility**: Improve error messages and user experience ## Questions or Issues? - **Bug Reports**: Open an issue with reproduction steps - **Feature Requests**: Open an issue describing the feature - **Questions**: Start a discussion in the Issues section - **Security Issues**: Please email directly (do not open public issues) ## License By contributing, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under the MIT License. ## Acknowledgments Thank you for contributing to make legal research more accessible! Your efforts help democratize access to legal information.