Source-backed decision research

Explore how AAO evaluates evidence.

Search a substantial collection of case-specific reasoning, then narrow it by petition, field, legal issue, or date.

This expanded collection favors source-backed access over perfect automated classification. Fields, labels, summaries, and relevance may contain errors; records marked ‘broader context’ need extra care. Review the cited source before relying on any record. These appeals and motions do not show approval odds or denial rates, and are not legal advice or a prediction.

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10,847 decisions / 36,849 findings

Showing 11971–11980

EB-1AEB-1A · Commercial successNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Commercial success

commercial successes in the performing arts

Why AAO was not persuaded

Even assuming the overall commercial success of the referenced projects, the Petitioner played small roles and did not submit evidence associating the box office or sales results with her individual involvement. The criterion requires the Petitioner's own commercial success, not merely credited involvement in a commercially successful project. Critical acclaim is not a basis for this criterion.

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Even assuming the overall commercial success of the referenced projects, the Petitioner played small roles and did not submit evidence associating the box office or sales results with her individual involvement. The criterion requires the Petitioner's own commercial success, not merely credited involvement in a commercially successful project. Critical acclaim is not a basis for this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_02_B2203; source_row=27116
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations or establishments with a distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found the individual productions the Petitioner appeared in do not themselves constitute organizations or establishments as required by the regulation. Letters from production company representatives were either too general or failed to establish that she held a leading or critical role for the organizations themselves rather than for individual productions.…

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The AAO found the individual productions the Petitioner appeared in do not themselves constitute organizations or establishments as required by the regulation. Letters from production company representatives were either too general or failed to establish that she held a leading or critical role for the organizations themselves rather than for individual productions. Her charitable activities did not reflect achievements as a performing artist.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_02_B2203; source_row=27114
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot established

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the individual

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO affirmed that the published material must be 'about' the individual, meaning both the Petitioner and his work must be the focus of the article. The submitted articles were about the authors' own research and cited dozens of researchers; the Petitioner's rarity argument does not exempt him from his burden.

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AAO affirmed that the published material must be 'about' the individual, meaning both the Petitioner and his work must be the focus of the article. The submitted articles were about the authors' own research and cited dozens of researchers; the Petitioner's rarity argument does not exempt him from his burden.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_01_B2203; source_row=27105
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that while the record established originality and some attention in the field, citation rates alone lacked sufficient context to show major significance, the expert letters did not explain remarkable impact on the field, and no comparative data was provided to contextualize citation frequencies. One citing article even described the Petitioner's method as 'not very efficient.'

Why this is useful

Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.

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AAO found that while the record established originality and some attention in the field, citation rates alone lacked sufficient context to show major significance, the expert letters did not explain remarkable impact on the field, and no comparative data was provided to contextualize citation frequencies. One citing article even described the Petitioner's method as 'not very efficient.'
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_01_B2203; source_row=27107
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

The AAO declined to conduct a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the minimum three evidentiary criteria at step one, though AAO noted in dicta that the record does not support the required acclaim.

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The AAO declined to conduct a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the minimum three evidentiary criteria at step one, though AAO noted in dicta that the record does not support the required acclaim.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_02_B2203; source_row=27117
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Artistic displayEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Artistic display

display of work at artistic exhibitions or showcases

Why the evidence was persuasive

The AAO disagreed with the Director's restriction of this criterion to visual artists, finding it applies to any petitioner whose work is displayed at artistic exhibitions or showcases. The Petitioner's film being screened at film festivals satisfied this criterion because film festivals may select films based on artistic merits.

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The AAO disagreed with the Director's restriction of this criterion to visual artists, finding it applies to any petitioner whose work is displayed at artistic exhibitions or showcases. The Petitioner's film being screened at film festivals satisfied this criterion because film festivals may select films based on artistic merits.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_02_B2203; source_row=27113
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others in the field

Why the evidence was persuasive

The AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's membership on the SAG Awards Nominating Committee satisfies the judging criterion.

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The AAO agreed with the Director that the Petitioner's membership on the SAG Awards Nominating Committee satisfies the judging criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_02_B2203; source_row=27111
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO confirmed that the Petitioner's scholarly article authorship satisfied this criterion.

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AAO confirmed that the Petitioner's scholarly article authorship satisfied this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_01_B2203; source_row=27108
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO confirmed the Director's finding that the Petitioner's peer review work satisfied the judging criterion.

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AAO confirmed the Director's finding that the Petitioner's peer review work satisfied the judging criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_01_B2203; source_row=27106
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

AAO explicitly declined to conduct a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the initial evidence requirements, though noted the aggregate record does not support the required acclaim.

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AAO explicitly declined to conduct a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the initial evidence requirements, though noted the aggregate record does not support the required acclaim.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-02_01_B2203; source_row=27109
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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