OpenLaws MCP Server for Windsurf 14 tools — connect in under 2 minutes
Windsurf brings agentic AI coding to a purpose-built IDE. Connect OpenLaws through Vinkius and Cascade will auto-discover every tool. ask questions, generate code, and act on live data without leaving your editor.
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Vinkius supports streamable HTTP and SSE.
Vinkius Desktop App
The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install OpenLaws and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.
{
"mcpServers": {
"openlaws": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
}
}
}
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About OpenLaws MCP Server
Connect your OpenLaws API account to any AI agent and take full control of legal research, citation validation, and legislative monitoring workflows through natural conversation.
Windsurf's Cascade agent chains multiple OpenLaws tool calls autonomously. query data, analyze results, and generate code in a single agentic session. Paste Vinkius Edge URL, reload, and all 14 tools are immediately available. Real-time tool feedback appears inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor.
What you can do
- Statute Search — Search federal and state statutes by keyword (BM25) across all 50 states simultaneously, or scope to specific jurisdictions
- Regulation Search — Query Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and state regulations with fast keyword search and jurisdiction filtering
- Case Law Search — Search ~5-6 million case opinions from Harvard CAP and CourtListener, filtered by jurisdiction, court, or federal circuit
- Citation Validation — Validate and identify malformed legal citations, find original government sources for citations across 53 jurisdictions
- Constitutional Provisions — Search US Constitution and all 50 state constitutions for specific provisions and amendments
- Legislative History — Retrieve historical versions of federal statutes and generate redline comparisons between legislative sessions
- Recent Updates — Monitor recent legal updates and changes across jurisdictions for compliance tracking
The OpenLaws MCP Server exposes 14 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Windsurf in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
How to Connect OpenLaws to Windsurf via MCP
Follow these steps to integrate the OpenLaws MCP Server with Windsurf.
Open MCP Settings
Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
Add the server
Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
Save and reload
Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
Start using OpenLaws
Open Cascade and ask: "Using OpenLaws, help me...". 14 tools available
Why Use Windsurf with the OpenLaws MCP Server
Windsurf provides unique advantages when paired with OpenLaws through the Model Context Protocol.
Windsurf's Cascade agent autonomously chains multiple tool calls in sequence, solving complex multi-step tasks without manual intervention
Purpose-built for agentic workflows. Cascade understands context across your entire codebase and integrates MCP tools natively
JSON-based configuration means zero code changes: paste a URL, reload, and all 14 tools are immediately available
Real-time tool feedback is displayed inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor without switching contexts
OpenLaws + Windsurf Use Cases
Practical scenarios where Windsurf combined with the OpenLaws MCP Server delivers measurable value.
Automated code generation: ask Cascade to fetch data from OpenLaws and generate models, types, or handlers based on real API responses
Live debugging: query OpenLaws tools mid-session to inspect production data while debugging without leaving the editor
Documentation generation: pull schema information from OpenLaws and have Cascade generate comprehensive API docs automatically
Rapid prototyping: combine OpenLaws data with Cascade's code generation to scaffold entire features in minutes
OpenLaws MCP Tools for Windsurf (14)
These 14 tools become available when you connect OpenLaws to Windsurf via MCP:
get_caselaw_opinion
Use this to get the complete court opinion after finding it via search_caselaw. The response includes the full opinion text, court details, date, citations, and parties involved. Get a specific case law opinion by its ID
get_constitution
Use this to get the complete provision content after finding it via search_constitutions. The response includes rich text content, article/section information, and amendments history. Get a specific constitution provision by its ID
get_jurisdiction
Use the jurisdiction_id from list_jurisdictions to inspect details before scoping searches. Get details of a specific jurisdiction
get_recent_updates
You can view updates across all jurisdictions or filter to a specific state/federal level. This is useful for compliance monitoring and staying current with legislative changes. Optionally specify jurisdiction ID and limit the number of results. Example: check what changed in California employment law this month, or monitor federal regulatory updates. Get recent legal updates across jurisdictions or in a specific jurisdiction
get_redline_comparison
This shows exactly what changed between legislative sessions or amendment cycles. Currently available for federal laws only (USC). Optionally specify from and to version dates. If not specified, compares the two most recent versions. Use this to understand legislative changes and their impact on compliance requirements. Get redline comparison between two versions of a federal statute
get_regulation
Use this to get the complete regulation content after finding it via search_regulations. The response includes rich text content, citations, and regulatory context. Get a specific regulation by its ID
get_statute
Use this to get the complete statute content after finding it via search_statutes. The response includes rich text content, citations, effective dates, and annotations. Get a specific statute by its ID
get_statute_history
This allows you to see how the law has changed over time. Currently available for federal laws only (USC - United States Code). Use the statute_id from search_statutes to view the legislative history and amendments. Get historical versions of a federal statute
list_jurisdictions
Jurisdictions include federal (US), all 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Each jurisdiction has an ID that can be used to scope searches to specific regions. Use this to discover what jurisdictions are available before searching statutes, regulations, or caselaw. List all available legal jurisdictions in OpenLaws
search_caselaw
Data sourced from Harvard CAP project and CourtListener (~5-6 million cases). You can filter by jurisdiction, specific court, or federal circuit. The query parameter is required. Optionally filter by jurisdiction_id and court name. Results include case opinions, court information, dates, and citations. Example: search for " Fourth Amendment privacy" or "breach of contract" cases. Search case law opinions by keyword
search_constitutions
You can search the US Constitution and all 50 state constitutions simultaneously. The query parameter is required. Optionally filter by jurisdiction ID. Results include constitutional provisions, amendments, and relevant sections. Example: search for "free speech" or "right to privacy" across all constitutions. Search constitutions by keyword across jurisdictions
search_regulations
You can search all jurisdictions simultaneously or scope to a specific region. The query parameter is required and contains the search term. Optionally filter by jurisdiction ID. Results include regulation text, citations, and contextual information. Example: search for "environmental protection" or "workplace safety" regulations. Search regulations by keyword across jurisdictions
search_statutes
You can search all 50 states simultaneously for 50-state surveys, or scope to a specific jurisdiction. The query parameter is required and contains the search term. Optionally filter by jurisdiction ID. Results include statute text, citations, effective dates, and jurisdiction information. Example: search for "data privacy" across all jurisdictions, or "employment" in California only. Search statutes by keyword across jurisdictions
validate_citation
This tool helps identify malformed citations and find the authoritative source document. Supports citations from all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and federal sources. The citation parameter should be a standard legal citation format (e.g., "42 U.S.C. § 1983", "Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483"). Use this to validate citations in legal documents, spreadsheets, or databases before relying on them. Validate a legal citation and find its original source
Example Prompts for OpenLaws in Windsurf
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Windsurf agent to start working with OpenLaws immediately.
"Search for data privacy statutes across all US states and summarize the key findings."
"Validate these citations: '42 U.S.C. § 1983' and 'Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113' and tell me if they're correct."
"Show me recent legislative updates in California employment law and any changes this month."
Troubleshooting OpenLaws MCP Server with Windsurf
Common issues when connecting OpenLaws to Windsurf through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
Server not connecting
OpenLaws + Windsurf FAQ
Common questions about integrating OpenLaws MCP Server with Windsurf.
How does Windsurf discover MCP tools?
mcp_config.json file on startup and connects to each configured server via Streamable HTTP. Tools are listed in the MCP panel and available to Cascade automatically.Can Cascade chain multiple MCP tool calls?
Does Windsurf support multiple MCP servers?
mcp_config.json. Each server's tools appear in the MCP panel and Cascade can use tools from different servers in a single flow.Connect OpenLaws with your favorite client
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Connect OpenLaws to Windsurf
Get your token, paste the configuration, and start using 14 tools in under 2 minutes. No API key management needed.