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 12321–12330

EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

PhysicsPostdoctoral Researcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

AAO declined to take a position on the Petitioner's ultimate eligibility, finding the Director's final merits determination procedurally deficient for disregarding evidence, excluding non-first-author publications without basis, and comparing citation record only to senior professor referees. The matter was remanded for a proper analysis.

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AAO declined to take a position on the Petitioner's ultimate eligibility, finding the Director's final merits determination procedurally deficient for disregarding evidence, excluding non-first-author publications without basis, and comparing citation record only to senior professor referees. The matter was remanded for a proper analysis.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_01_B2203; source_row=26661
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

PhysicsPostdoctoral Researcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why the evidence was persuasive

Both the Director and AAO agreed this criterion was satisfied. AAO did not disturb the Director's finding that the Petitioner met the judging criterion.

Why this is useful

See how invitations, completed assignments, and the nature of judging were documented and weighed.

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Both the Director and AAO agreed this criterion was satisfied. AAO did not disturb the Director's finding that the Petitioner met the judging criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_01_B2203; source_row=26658
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO concluded the reference letters and citation history did not establish that the Petitioner's research had been widely accepted, implemented, or had significantly influenced the field. AAO criticized the Director's reliance on a comparison of overall citation counts as inappropriate at the criterion stage, but reached the same conclusion.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO concluded the reference letters and citation history did not establish that the Petitioner's research had been widely accepted, implemented, or had significantly influenced the field. AAO criticized the Director's reliance on a comparison of overall citation counts as inappropriate at the criterion stage, but reached the same conclusion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_06_B2203; source_row=26688
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

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

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the reference letters did not establish that the Petitioner's research roles were leading based on placement in organizational hierarchies or critical to the success/standing of the institutions. New evidence on appeal was not considered under Soriano/Obaigbena, and even if considered, did not change the result.

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AAO found the reference letters did not establish that the Petitioner's research roles were leading based on placement in organizational hierarchies or critical to the success/standing of the institutions. New evidence on appeal was not considered under Soriano/Obaigbena, and even if considered, did not change the result.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_06_B2203; source_row=26690
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed that authorship of scholarly articles in journals such as Hypertension, The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, and Journal of Cardiology satisfied this criterion.

Why this is useful

See how AAO evaluated whether the work qualified as scholarly authorship and what it showed in the full record.

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AAO agreed that authorship of scholarly articles in journals such as Hypertension, The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, and Journal of Cardiology satisfied this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_06_B2203; source_row=26689
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

participation as a judge of the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed that the Petitioner met this criterion based on peer review of manuscripts for professional publications and conferences.

Why this is useful

See how invitations, completed assignments, and the nature of judging were documented and weighed.

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AAO agreed that the Petitioner met this criterion based on peer review of manuscripts for professional publications and conferences.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_06_B2203; source_row=26687
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / ClinicalResearcher

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

AAO reserved a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner did not satisfy the initial evidence requirements, but indicated that an aggregate review would not support eligibility.

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Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.

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AAO reserved a formal final merits determination because the Petitioner did not satisfy the initial evidence requirements, but indicated that an aggregate review would not support eligibility.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_06_B2203; source_row=26691
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

Lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found that the Petitioner's placings in national taekwondo and muay thai championships met the plain language of this criterion as they were demonstrated to be top events in the field at the national level, disagreeing with the Director.

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AAO found that the Petitioner's placings in national taekwondo and muay thai championships met the plain language of this criterion as they were demonstrated to be top events in the field at the national level, disagreeing with the Director.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_05_B2203; source_row=26683
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

Participation as a judge of the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found that despite discrepancies in the hapkido judging evidence, the Petitioner's photographs corroborating muay thai judging at a 2016 event, combined with evidence of the substantive duties involved, were sufficient to meet this criterion, disagreeing with the Director.

Why this is useful

See how invitations, completed assignments, and the nature of judging were documented and weighed.

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AAO found that despite discrepancies in the hapkido judging evidence, the Petitioner's photographs corroborating muay thai judging at a 2016 event, combined with evidence of the substantive duties involved, were sufficient to meet this criterion, disagreeing with the Director.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_05_B2203; source_row=26685
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

Published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found that a 1997 article focused on the Petitioner and his career published in a newspaper with a circulation of 55,000—one of a small number of major newspapers—satisfied the criterion, disagreeing with the Director.

Why this is useful

Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.

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AAO found that a 1997 article focused on the Petitioner and his career published in a newspaper with a circulation of 55,000—one of a small number of major newspapers—satisfied the criterion, disagreeing with the Director.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-11-30_05_B2203; source_row=26684
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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