Transparency always loses.

Shutting down the only working database is the proof point that perfect is the enemy of good.

Of course, this gives cover to the "well, we're working on something better" and "AI companies are evil"

Fine, shut it down AFTER that better thing is finally in prod (as if).

And if the data was already leaked because you didn't do your due diligence and didn't have a good contract, that's on you. It's out there now anyway.

And, really, what's the issue with AI finally having good citations? Are we really going to try to pretend that AI isn't now permanently embedded in the legal system and that lawyers won't use AI to write extremely formulaic filings?

This is either bureaucracy doing what it does, or an actual conspiracy to shut down external access to public court records. It doesn't actually matter which: what matters is that this needs to be overturned immediately.