# CourtListener Public Opinion Watch Scraper (`taroyamada/courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper`) Actor Watch public CourtListener opinion search results with stable IDs for litigation trigger monitoring. No user API key, PACER purchase, or sealed-document access. - **URL**: https://apify.com/taroyamada/courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [åĪŠéƒŽ åąąį”°](https://apify.com/taroyamada) (community) - **Categories:** Business - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 33.3% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $8.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## CourtListener Public Opinion Watch Scraper Law firms, litigation analysts, compliance teams, and competitive intelligence teams use this actor to turn public CourtListener opinion search results into a clean no-key dataset for Regulatory Trigger Pack. Provide focused source inputs, keep the first run small, and expand only after the output shape is useful. Each emitted row includes source context, timestamps, and fields designed for monitoring, QA, research, or workflow handoff. ### Store Quickstart Start with public opinion search and one query. This Public Seed does not require a user API key and does not fetch PACER, RECAP, sealed, paid, or token-only docket data. Recommended first run: ```json { "queries": [ "antitrust" ], "daysBack": 30, "limit": 30, "firstRunMode": "emit_all", "delivery": "dataset", "dryRun": false } ```` ### Input examples #### Public opinion search ```json { "queries": [ "antitrust" ], "daysBack": 30, "limit": 30, "firstRunMode": "emit_all", "delivery": "dataset", "dryRun": false } ``` #### Baseline seed ```json { "queries": [ "antitrust" ], "daysBack": 30, "limit": 100, "firstRunMode": "seed_only", "delivery": "dataset", "dryRun": false } ``` ### Sample output ```json { "meta": { "actorName": "courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper", "actorTitle": "CourtListener Public Docket & Opinion Watch Scraper", "bundle": "Regulatory Trigger Pack", "fetchedAt": "2026-05-06T00:00:00.000Z", "totalRows": 1 }, "rows": [ { "actorName": "courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper", "rowType": "courtlistener_opinion_search_result", "eventType": "new_public_court_result", "caseName": "Example Litigation", "court": "Court of Appeals", "docketNumber": "24-1000", "dateFiled": "2026-05-04", "sourceUrl": "https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/example", "fetchedAt": "2026-05-06T00:00:00.000Z" } ], "warnings": [] } ``` ### Output fields - `rowType` - `eventType` - `caseName` - `court` - `docketNumber` - `dateFiled` - `stableId` - `sourceUrl` - `warnings` Rows also include source URLs, fetch timestamps, warnings when a source is partial, and stable IDs when the workflow supports recurring change detection. ### Pricing and no-change runs $0.001 actor start and $0.020 per emitted trigger row. Baseline seed and unchanged runs suppress dataset rows. The default dataset is the billable surface. Dry runs, validation-only runs, missing-key warnings, and unchanged recurring polls should not write payable default-dataset rows. ### Compliance guardrails - Uses the official CourtListener API. - Paid court-file retrieval, automated external fetch requests, and restricted material are outside scope. - No legal advice or provider-approval language. - Do not use provider emblems or wording that implies approval by an upstream data provider. ### See also - [sec-form-d-offering-notices-scraper](https://apify.com/taroyamada/sec-form-d-offering-notices-scraper) - [uspto-trademark-status-office-action-scraper](https://apify.com/taroyamada/uspto-trademark-status-office-action-scraper) # Actor input Schema ## `queries` (type: `array`): CourtListener search queries. ## `daysBack` (type: `integer`): Only emit records dated within this window when a date is present. ## `knownStableIds` (type: `array`): Optional IDs already seen by your previous workflow run. Matching rows are suppressed to avoid no-change charges. ## `maxChargeUsd` (type: `number`): Safety cap for billable dataset rows. The actor stops emitting billable rows once this cap would be exceeded. ## `limit` (type: `integer`): Maximum billable rows to emit. ## `firstRunMode` (type: `string`): emit\_all writes the first matching rows. seed\_only stores the baseline and writes no rows. ## `delivery` (type: `string`): Where to send emitted trigger rows. ## `webhookUrl` (type: `string`): Required when delivery=webhook. ## `dryRun` (type: `boolean`): Run without external source requests or dataset writes. ## Actor input object example ```json { "queries": [ "antitrust" ], "daysBack": 30, "knownStableIds": [], "maxChargeUsd": 1, "limit": 30, "firstRunMode": "emit_all", "delivery": "dataset", "webhookUrl": "", "dryRun": false } ``` # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "queries": [ "antitrust" ], "knownStableIds": [] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("taroyamada/courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`ðŸ’ū Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "queries": ["antitrust"], "knownStableIds": [], } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("taroyamada/courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("ðŸ’ū Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "queries": [ "antitrust" ], "knownStableIds": [] }' | apify call taroyamada/courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=taroyamada/courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "CourtListener Public Opinion Watch Scraper", "description": "Watch public CourtListener opinion search results with stable IDs for litigation trigger monitoring. No user API key, PACER purchase, or sealed-document access.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "AdMoAHO1TqyyGlg4j" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/taroyamada~courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-taroyamada-courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/taroyamada~courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-taroyamada-courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/taroyamada~courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-taroyamada-courtlistener-public-docket-opinion-watch-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "queries": { "title": "Queries", "type": "array", "description": "CourtListener search queries.", "default": [ "antitrust" ], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "daysBack": { "title": "Days back", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 3650, "type": "integer", "description": "Only emit records dated within this window when a date is present.", "default": 30 }, "knownStableIds": { "title": "Known stable IDs", "type": "array", "description": "Optional IDs already seen by your previous workflow run. Matching rows are suppressed to avoid no-change charges.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "maxChargeUsd": { "title": "Maximum charge USD", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 100, "type": "number", "description": "Safety cap for billable dataset rows. The actor stops emitting billable rows once this cap would be exceeded.", "default": 1 }, "limit": { "title": "Result limit", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 500, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum billable rows to emit.", "default": 30 }, "firstRunMode": { "title": "First run mode", "enum": [ "emit_all", "seed_only" ], "type": "string", "description": "emit_all writes the first matching rows. seed_only stores the baseline and writes no rows.", "default": "emit_all" }, "delivery": { "title": "Delivery", "enum": [ "dataset", "webhook" ], "type": "string", "description": "Where to send emitted trigger rows.", "default": "dataset" }, "webhookUrl": { "title": "Webhook URL", "type": "string", "description": "Required when delivery=webhook.", "default": "" }, "dryRun": { "title": "Dry run", "type": "boolean", "description": "Run without external source requests or dataset writes.", "default": false } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```