search_legislation

Returns the titles matching a search, each with its ids, kind, portfolio, issuing authority, dates and an in_force block. Use it to find a title before reading it.

Parameters

Notes

• In force by default. With no status, only titles in force today are returned. status filters by the Federal Register's own status; no tool serves the text of a title that is not in force.
• Values are case-insensitive, and an unknown value is refused with the valid list. kind: act, legislative_instrument, notifiable_instrument, prerogative_instrument, continued_law, constitution, or instrument (both instrument kinds). issuing_authority: a code or a full name; list_issuing_authorities returns the valid values.
• Large pages are cut, never refused. A cut page carries truncated: true, returned and next_offset; call again with offset set to next_offset.

Request (search_legislation with {"query":"Privacy Act 1988","limit":3})

Python SDK

import asyncio, os
from mcp import ClientSession
from mcp.client.streamable_http import streamablehttp_client

async def main():
    headers = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['LAWATLAS_API_KEY']}"}
    async with streamablehttp_client("https://advisor.lawatlas.ai/api/mcp-http/mcp", headers=headers) as (read, write, _):
        async with ClientSession(read, write) as session:
            await session.initialize()
            result = await session.call_tool("search_legislation", {
                "query": "Privacy Act 1988",
                "limit": 3
            })
            print(result.content[0].text)

asyncio.run(main())

curl

curl -s https://advisor.lawatlas.ai/api/mcp-http/mcp \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LAWATLAS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Accept: application/json, text/event-stream" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"search_legislation","arguments":{"query":"Privacy Act 1988","limit":3}}}'

Response, as Advisor returned it on 10 October 2026. The tool's result is the JSON text of result.content[0].text; lists and long text are trimmed where marked "...".

{
  "schema_version": "2.4",
  "total": 2,
  "limit": 3,
  "offset": 0,
  "as_at": "2026-10-10",
  "items": [
    {
      "id": "eae28dff-3ff5-48eb-af3f-38686e6f650e",
      "title_id": "C2004A03712",
      "compilation_id": "C2026C00227",
      "title": "Privacy Act 1988",
      "kind": "act",
      "status": "InForce",
      "in_force": {
        "in_force": true,
        "frl_status": "InForce",
        "since": null,
        "confirmed_with_frl_at": "2026-10-09T16:37:46.550767Z",
        "frl_link": "https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2026C00227",
        "notice": "In force according to the Federal Register of Legislation, as last confirmed on the date shown."
      },
      "portfolio": "Attorney-General's Department",
      "portfolio_count": 2,
      "portfolios": [
        "Attorney-General's Department",
        "Department of The Treasury"
      ],
      "issuing_authority": "PARLIAMENT",
      "issuing_authority_name": "Parliament",
      "made_date": "1988-12-14",
      "commence_date": "1988-12-14",
      "registered_date": "2005-01-01",
      "last_updated": "2026-06-04",
      "year": 1988,
      "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2026C00227"
    },
    {
      "id": "da1a91dc-3e1c-4098-a1af-c2010bbf24fc",
      "title_id": "F2024L00463",
      "compilation_id": "F2024L00463",
      "title": "Guidelines issued under Section 95(1) of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)",
      "kind": "legislative_instrument",
      "status": "InForce",
      "in_force": {
        "in_force": true,
        "frl_status": "InForce",
        "since": null,
        "confirmed_with_frl_at": "2026-10-09T16:45:40.760729Z",
        "frl_link": "https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2024L00463",
        "notice": "In force according to the Federal Register of Legislation, as last confirmed on the date shown."
      },
      "portfolio": "Attorney-General's Department",
      "portfolio_count": 2,
      "portfolios": [
        "Attorney-General's Department",
        "Department of Health, Disability and Ageing"
      ],
      "issuing_authority": null,
      "issuing_authority_name": null,
      "maker": {
        "name": "PRUE ALISON TORRANCE",
        "office": "Chief Executive Officer (A/g) of the National Health and Medical Research Council",
        "source": "the instrument's making words",
        "check": "not_applicable",
        "check_note": "Not a minister's office; the ministry record does not apply."
      },
      "made_date": "2024-03-21",
      "commence_date": "2024-04-22",
      "registered_date": "2024-04-22",
      "last_updated": "2024-04-22",
      "year": 2024,
      "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2024L00463"
    }
  ]
}

Data currency: Advisor serves the text of titles that the Federal Register of Legislation records as in force. It does not return the text of a repealed, ceased or sunset title, for any date.

• A title or a served provision carries a status block (status, or in_force in a list) with in_force, frl_status and confirmed_with_frl_at: when Advisor last confirmed the status with the Federal Register.
• Served text and search hits carry a compilation block with register_id, compilation_no, check_date and state. state is one of four values:
  • current: the Federal Register's latest list names the compilation the text comes from.
  • not_current: the Federal Register lists a newer compilation. Tell the user, and use the frl_link in the response.
  • pending_compilation: amendments have commenced that are not yet compiled, so the text does not include them.
  • not_confirmed: the Federal Register lists no current compilation, or Advisor holds no record of one. Treat it as unknown.
• TITLE_NOT_IN_FORCE and COMPILATION_NOT_CURRENT are answers, not failures. Show the user the Federal Register link in the response and do not fill the gap from another source.

Errors

Related tools

• resolve_reference, for a rough or partial name
• get_legislation