ReferenceTools
validate_citation
Validate legal citations and check case status
validate_citation
Validate a legal citation and retrieve case status information.
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
citation | string | Yes | Legal citation to validate |
Supported Citation Formats
- U.S. Reports:
384 U.S. 436 - Federal Reporter:
123 F.3d 456 - Federal Supplement:
123 F. Supp. 2d 456 - State Reporters: Various state formats
Example Request
{
"citation": "384 U.S. 436 (1966)"
}Example Response
{
"valid": true,
"citation": "384 U.S. 436 (1966)",
"normalized": "384 U.S. 436",
"case_name": "Miranda v. Arizona",
"court": "Supreme Court of the United States",
"date_filed": "1966-06-13",
"status": "good_law",
"document_id": "12345678"
}Response Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
valid | boolean | Whether the citation is valid |
citation | string | Original citation |
normalized | string | Standardized citation format |
case_name | string | Case name if found |
court | string | Court name |
date_filed | string | Filing date |
status | string | Case status (see below) |
document_id | string | LawForge document ID |
Case Status Values
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
good_law | Case is still valid precedent |
overruled | Case has been overruled |
distinguished | Case has been distinguished |
questioned | Validity has been questioned |
unknown | Status cannot be determined |
Note: Case status is based on citation analysis and may not reflect recent developments. Always verify current status for critical research.