Pacer API Shim

This is a shim between the AMMS timer job and the PACER API.

Architecture

Work Plan

How it Works

It will intercept the traffic ment to go to PACER, acting as a shim both handling the MFA login and shaping the data to what the current timerjob expects.

Progress

Concerns

• Do we have the current credentails?
• Will we use existing server or stand up a new one?
• Which version/s of .net existing server?
• Does the server use proxy settings for internet access?
• Do we know which fields and API endpoints the timerjob is trying to find from PACER
• Validate a self signed certificate allow the impersonation of PACER?

End Points Discovered on Pacer

• Billing
• Cases
• Courts
• Errors
• Parties
• Query
• Reports
• Types

End Points Stubbed out

Pacer Developer Resources

PACER Developer Resources

Request Flow

flowchart TB
    TJ["Timer Job / AMMS"] -- POST /login --> LOGIN{"IsLive?"}
    LOGIN -- false --> STUBTOKEN["Return 200 stub-token<br>no PACER call"]
    LOGIN -- true --> REALLOGIN["Login to PACER at<br>qa-login.uscourts.gov<br>Return real token"]
    LOGIN --> LOGINLOG["Log: method + path<br>no body"]
    TJ -- "API Request<br>POST cases/find, parties/find<br>POST cases/download, parties/download<br>GET cases/download/status/{id}, parties/download/status/{id}<br>GET cases/download/{id}, parties/download/{id}<br>GET cases/reports, parties/reports<br>DELETE cases/reports/{id}, parties/reports/{id}" --> ISLIVE{"IsLive?"}
    ISLIVE -- false --> STUBLOG["Log: method + path + body"]
    STUBLOG --> RETURN503["Return 503"] & LOGFILE[("requests.log<br>rolls to .old at 10MB")]
    ISLIVE -- true --> LIVELOG["Log: method + path"]
    LIVELOG --> PACERLOGIN["Login to PACER"] & LOGFILE
    PACERLOGIN --> OUTLOG["Log: outbound URL + body"]
    OUTLOG --> FORWARD["Forward request to<br>qa-pcl.uscourts.gov"]
    FORWARD --> PACERLOGOUT["Logout from PACER"]
    PACERLOGOUT --> RESPONSELOG["Log: PACER status + response body"]
    RESPONSELOG --> RESPONSE["Return PACER response"] & LOGFILE
    TJ -- POST /logout --> LOGOUT{"IsLive?"}
    LOGOUT -- false --> STUB200["Return 200<br>no PACER call"]
    LOGOUT -- true --> REALLOGOUT["Logout from PACER"]
    LOGOUT --> LOGOUTLOG["Log: method + path<br>no body"]
    LOGINLOG --> LOGFILE
    LOGOUTLOG --> LOGFILE
    OUTLOG --> LOGFILE

flowchart TD
    ADMIN[Admin]
    ADMIN -->|GET /admin/live?key=| LIVESTATUS[Returns current IsLive state]
    ADMIN -->|POST /admin/live/toggle?key=| TOGGLE[Flips IsLive true/false]
    ADMIN -->|GET /admin/logs?key=| LOGS[Returns requests.log contents]
    ADMIN -->|GET /admin/demo/cases?key=| DEMO["Fetch real PACER cases<br>Bypasses IsLive — always hits PACER"]
    ADMIN -->|GET /test?key=| TEST[Test PACER login/logout sequence]