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 12911–12920

EB-1AEB-1A · Major awardNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Major award

One-time major internationally recognized award

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the limited documentation did not establish the international import of the tournament or that the Petitioner's first-place finish was recognized beyond participants and organizers at a level commensurate with a major internationally recognized award such as a Nobel Prize. The new article was published by the event organizers on their own website and did not cure these deficiencies.

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AAO found the limited documentation did not establish the international import of the tournament or that the Petitioner's first-place finish was recognized beyond participants and organizers at a level commensurate with a major internationally recognized award such as a Nobel Prize. The new article was published by the event organizers on their own website and did not cure these deficiencies.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-07-02_01_B2203; source_row=25953
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

Membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the letters from the national federation official were not sufficiently specific regarding team membership requirements or selection processes, and were not corroborated by published rules governing team selection. On motion, the Petitioner merely disagreed without establishing legal or policy error.

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AAO found the letters from the national federation official were not sufficiently specific regarding team membership requirements or selection processes, and were not corroborated by published rules governing team selection. On motion, the Petitioner merely disagreed without establishing legal or policy error.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-07-02_01_B2203; source_row=25955
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

Published material about the individual in professional or major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the sole article in Varzish Sport was published nearly ten months after the filing date and therefore could not establish eligibility at the time of filing. The new Ashgabat 2017 article did not identify an author and was not shown to be a professional, major trade, or other major medium publication.

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AAO found the sole article in Varzish Sport was published nearly ten months after the filing date and therefore could not establish eligibility at the time of filing. The new Ashgabat 2017 article did not identify an author and was not shown to be a professional, major trade, or other major medium publication.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-07-02_01_B2203; source_row=25956
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 previously determined in the appellate decision that the Petitioner satisfied criterion (i) based on previously submitted evidence. The new YouTube evidence post-dated the filing date and did not change this already-met finding.

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AAO previously determined in the appellate decision that the Petitioner satisfied criterion (i) based on previously submitted evidence. The new YouTube evidence post-dated the filing date and did not change this already-met finding.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-07-02_01_B2203; source_row=25954
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManager30 citations

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed with the Director that the judging criterion was met based on the Petitioner's participation on the judging panel for a special issue of Southern Weekend magazine recognizing the best Chinese journalism in the first decade of the 21st century.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO agreed with the Director that the judging criterion was met based on the Petitioner's participation on the judging panel for a special issue of Southern Weekend magazine recognizing the best Chinese journalism in the first decade of the 21st century.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-07-02_02_B2203; source_row=25961
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManager30 citations

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found the Director erred both by importing a final-merits analysis into the criteria stage and by characterizing the book as being for the general public. The record supported the Petitioner's claim that the book was a professional publication intended for journalism professionals, was cited in scholarly articles, and was used in university journalism curricula.

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

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AAO found the Director erred both by importing a final-merits analysis into the criteria stage and by characterizing the book as being for the general public. The record supported the Petitioner's claim that the book was a professional publication intended for journalism professionals, was cited in scholarly articles, and was used in university journalism curricula.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-07-02_02_B2203; source_row=25962
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original scientific, scholarly, artistic, athletic, or business-related contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that presentations at conferences alone do not demonstrate contributions of major significance, citing articles do not show significance beyond the individual authors who cited the work, and recommendation letters praised the Beneficiary's abilities but failed to identify original contributions of major significance or their impact on the field. Conclusory praise and hyperbolic language are insufficient.

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 presentations at conferences alone do not demonstrate contributions of major significance, citing articles do not show significance beyond the individual authors who cited the work, and recommendation letters praised the Beneficiary's abilities but failed to identify original contributions of major significance or their impact on the field. Conclusory praise and hyperbolic language are insufficient.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-06-15_03_B2203; source_row=25949
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that documentation acknowledging or recognizing participation, and certificates thanking the Beneficiary for contributing articles, do not equate to nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence. The 'Fellow Chartered Educator' designation lacked sufficient evidence that it constitutes a nationally or internationally recognized award.

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AAO found that documentation acknowledging or recognizing participation, and certificates thanking the Beneficiary for contributing articles, do not equate to nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence. The 'Fellow Chartered Educator' designation lacked sufficient evidence that it constitutes a nationally or internationally recognized award.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-06-15_03_B2203; source_row=25946
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the submitted emails reflect only requests/invitations to participate in peer review, and the Petitioner did not provide sufficient evidence that the Beneficiary actually completed the reviews. The 2019 certificate was disregarded because eligibility must be established as of the filing date (May 2019) and the activity occurred in July 2019.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found that the submitted emails reflect only requests/invitations to participate in peer review, and the Petitioner did not provide sufficient evidence that the Beneficiary actually completed the reviews. The 2019 certificate was disregarded because eligibility must be established as of the filing date (May 2019) and the activity occurred in July 2019.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-06-15_03_B2203; source_row=25948
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot established

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why AAO was not persuaded

The emails only demonstrate invitations to judge, not that the Beneficiary actually completed the peer reviews. No corroborating documentation was submitted confirming that the Beneficiary performed the reviews. The Director's finding is withdrawn.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The emails only demonstrate invitations to judge, not that the Beneficiary actually completed the peer reviews. No corroborating documentation was submitted confirming that the Beneficiary performed the reviews. The Director's finding is withdrawn.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-06-15_02_B2203; source_row=25941
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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