Alacorder

81.2.26 verified Fri May 01 auth: no python

Alacorder retrieves case detail PDFs from Alacourt.com and processes them into structured data tables for research. Version 81.2.26 supports Python 3.10+. It is actively maintained with frequent releases.

pip install alacorder

Common errors

error ImportError: cannot import name 'Alacorder' from 'alacorder' ↓

cause The class `Alacorder` was removed in version 81; only functions are available.

fix

Use import alacorder and call module functions like alacorder.get_case().

error alacorder.exceptions.AuthenticationError: Invalid credentials ↓

cause Username or password is incorrect, or the account is not authorized for Alacourt.

fix

Verify your credentials and ensure your Alacourt account is active. Use environment variables for security.

Warnings

breaking API version 81.x drops support for Python <3.10. Upgrade Python or pin to alacorder<81. ↓

fix Ensure Python 3.10+ is used, or install alacorder==80.x.x if stuck on older Python.

deprecated The `Alacorder` class was removed in version 81. Use module-level functions instead. ↓

fix Replace `from alacorder import Alacorder; a = Alacorder()` with `import alacorder; alacorder.get_case(...)`.

gotcha Rate limiting: too many requests in quick succession may trigger IP blocks from Alacourt.com. ↓

fix Insert delays (e.g., time.sleep(1)) between requests, especially for bulk processing.

Imports

alacorder
wrong
```
from alacorder import Alacorder
```
correct
```
import alacorder
```
The library is a module with functions; no top-level class named Alacorder.

Quickstart

Instantiate Alacorder with your Alacourt credentials and fetch a case.

import alacorder

# Initialize with your credentials
case_id = "2023-CA-001234"
username = os.environ.get('ALACOURT_USER', '')
password = os.environ.get('ALACOURT_PASS', '')

# Fetch case data
case_data = alacorder.get_case(case_id, username, password)
print(case_data.keys())