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 13381–13390

EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that some articles were not about the Petitioner but about the competitions he participated in; other articles lacked identified authors or dates; and none of the publications were shown to be professional, major trade, or major media outlets with comparably high circulation.

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AAO found that some articles were not about the Petitioner but about the competitions he participated in; other articles lacked identified authors or dates; and none of the publications were shown to be professional, major trade, or major media outlets with comparably high circulation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_01_B2203; source_row=25391
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the HR Retail Leader award, first given in 2019, lacked evidence of national/international recognition beyond the inaugural conference. The five National Training Awards were awarded to the employer, not to the Petitioner himself, and testimonial letters attributing the awards to the Petitioner's work did not satisfy the plain language of the regulation requiring the individual petitioner to be the actual recipient.

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AAO agreed the HR Retail Leader award, first given in 2019, lacked evidence of national/international recognition beyond the inaugural conference. The five National Training Awards were awarded to the employer, not to the Petitioner himself, and testimonial letters attributing the awards to the Petitioner's work did not satisfy the plain language of the regulation requiring the individual petitioner to be the actual recipient.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_02_B2203; source_row=25395
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 disagreed with the Director's characterization of the membership as a certification, finding it is a genuine association membership. However, AAO agreed the criterion was not met because the record contained inconsistent descriptions of Fellow membership requirements between the CEO's letter and the articles of association, and neither clearly established that outstanding achievements were required or that applications…

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AAO disagreed with the Director's characterization of the membership as a certification, finding it is a genuine association membership. However, AAO agreed the criterion was not met because the record contained inconsistent descriptions of Fellow membership requirements between the CEO's letter and the articles of association, and neither clearly established that outstanding achievements were required or that applications were judged by recognized national or international experts.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_02_B2203; source_row=25396
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner did not establish that his 'value-added' changes to an existing degree program constituted an 'original contribution,' as the program predated his involvement and was already accredited. The letters lacked sufficient corroborating evidence to show major significance, and claims about the program's influence on the wider field were not supported by independent evidence from referenced stakeholders.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO found the Petitioner did not establish that his 'value-added' changes to an existing degree program constituted an 'original contribution,' as the program predated his involvement and was already accredited. The letters lacked sufficient corroborating evidence to show major significance, and claims about the program's influence on the wider field were not supported by independent evidence from referenced stakeholders.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_02_B2203; source_row=25397
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 sufficient documentary evidence that the Petitioner received nationally and internationally recognized awards from gymnastics events at the junior level, withdrawing the Director's determination on this issue.

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AAO found sufficient documentary evidence that the Petitioner received nationally and internationally recognized awards from gymnastics events at the junior level, withdrawing the Director's determination on this issue.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_01_B2203; source_row=25389
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO rejected the FIG membership claim for lack of evidence that FIG requires outstanding achievements of members, but found that selection to the Great Britain national gymnastics team satisfies the criterion because the national governing body constitutes a recognized national expert in the discipline.

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AAO rejected the FIG membership claim for lack of evidence that FIG requires outstanding achievements of members, but found that selection to the Great Britain national gymnastics team satisfies the criterion because the national governing body constitutes a recognized national expert in the discipline.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_01_B2203; source_row=25390
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 – sustained national or international acclaim

What the decision said

AAO explicitly declined to reach the final merits determination because the Petitioner did not meet the threshold of three criteria, but noted in the alternative that the record does not support a finding of sustained acclaim.

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AAO explicitly declined to reach the final merits determination because the Petitioner did not meet the threshold of three criteria, but noted in the alternative that the record does not support a finding of sustained acclaim.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_01_B2203; source_row=25394
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or significantly high remuneration

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed the Petitioner met this criterion based on his past earnings documentation and comparative wage information from reliable sources.

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AAO agreed the Petitioner met this criterion based on his past earnings documentation and comparative wage information from reliable sources.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_02_B2203; source_row=25399
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed the Petitioner met this criterion, finding the letters from managers sufficient to establish critical roles.

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AAO agreed the Petitioner met this criterion, finding the letters from managers sufficient to establish critical roles.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-12_02_B2203; source_row=25398
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot established

Case facts

Social SciencesPhD

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found conflicting evidence that the award was previously granted at the state and local level, that a new national-level award was only recently launched (post-dating the Petitioner's 2011 award), and that recognition for the award did not extend beyond the receiving organizations.

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AAO found conflicting evidence that the award was previously granted at the state and local level, that a new national-level award was only recently launched (post-dating the Petitioner's 2011 award), and that recognition for the award did not extend beyond the receiving organizations.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_02_B2203; source_row=25384
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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