open-case

name

open-case

description

The assistant should use this when the user explicitly asks to open/create/start a Detective MCP case, begin an OODA investigation, or approves a brainstorm brief. It creates durable case state. Do not use for vague pre-case scoping without approval (use brainstorm), existing-case continuation (use investigate), status review (use review-board), blocker discussion (use discuss-case), or finalization (use close-case).

Open Case

Create a Detective MCP-backed case. Follow ../references/detective-core-protocol.md for canonical MCP-only state, enums, evidence lifecycle, SetGoal preference, StopHook fallback, and handoffs.

<HARD_GATE name="case-state-safety"> All case state creation and updates must go through Detective MCP tools. Never create, edit, rename, delete, or infer truth from .detective/ files as a substitute for MCP state. Preserve exact MCP tool names, enums, parameters, and signatures. </HARD_GATE>

When a SetGoal or equivalent goal tool is available, use it only for harness/session orchestration after `detective_open_case` returns the case id. It does not create durable Detective case state and must not be treated as MCP truth.

<HARD_GATE name="stop-fallback-marker-protocol"> Prefer SetGoal or an equivalent goal tool. Only when no goal tool is available, emit exactly once after detective_open_case returns: <DETECTIVE-STOP-FALLBACK status="active" case-id="<case_id>">. This only activates the statically registered inert StopHook fallback and must not be written to .detective/ files. </HARD_GATE>

Required Inputs

Ask one concise question at a time until you have title, description/crime scene, intent, budget, and scope.

Budget Mapping

Pass budget via detective_open_case(..., config={...}):

• max_actions or "N steps" → {"max_actions": N}.
• Checkpoint cadence → add "checkpoint_interval": <positive integer>.
• Time box → add "timebox": "<verbatim>".
• If absent, use {"max_actions": 8, "checkpoint_interval": 3} and state the default.
• Seed coverage after opening with detective_coverage_add; do not put coverage in config.

Exact Workflow

1. Create durable case:
   • detective_open_case(title="<title>", description="<description>", case_id=null, config=<budget_config>)
   • Use case_id only if the user provided one; otherwise let MCP generate numbering/slug.
2. Set orchestration only after durable case creation:
   • If SetGoal or equivalent exists, set a concise goal with returned case id, intent, completion criteria, autonomous OODA instruction, and stop conditions.
   • If unavailable, emit <DETECTIVE-STOP-FALLBACK status="active" case-id="<case_id>">.
3. Enter Observe:
   • detective_transition_phase(case_id="<case id>", phase="observe", reason="case opened")
4. Record intent:
   • detective_add_intent(case_id="<case id>", intent="<user intent>", phase="observe", created_by="assistant", metadata={"source":"open-case"})
5. Add an optional goal node only for graph reasoning or explicit success criteria:
   • detective_add_node(case_id="<case id>", type="question", content="Goal: <success criteria>", status="open", confidence=1.0, source="user", tags=["goal"], created_by="assistant", metadata={"is_goal": true})
6. Seed graph from the brief:
   • Crime scene → type="observation", source="user", tags=["crime-scene"].
   • Verified facts → type="evidence"; partial signals → type="clue"; theories → type="hypothesis"; boundaries → type="constraint"; uncertainties → type="question".
7. Link seed nodes where useful with detective_add_edge(..., type="supports|contradicts|derives|requires|eliminates|related_to", ...).
8. Put uncertain scratch ideas on blackboard: detective_blackboard_add(case_id="<case id>", content="<uncertain note>", kind="note", tags=["unverified"], created_by="assistant").
9. Seed coverage with detective_coverage_add(case_id="<case id>", area="<area>", status="planned", notes="seeded from open-case scope"); use "initial triage" if no areas are known.
10. Report case id, phase, intent, budget, seeded counts, coverage, goal-tool status, fallback status, and suggested /detective:investigate next step.

Output Format

**Case opened**: <case_id>
**Phase**: observe
**Intent**: <intent>
**Budget**: <config summary>
**Goal tool**: <set/unavailable; MCP case remains canonical>
**Stop fallback**: <inactive because goal tool set | activated with marker because no goal tool is available>
**Seeded**: <counts>
**Coverage**: <areas>
**Suggested next step**: Run `/detective:investigate` to execute autonomous OODA cycles.