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.
10,847 decisions /36,849 findings
Showing 13391–13400
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established
Case facts
Social SciencesPhD
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Leading / critical role
leading or critical role for distinguished organizations
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO found that the reference letters described the Petitioner's skills and accomplishments generally but did not establish that she played a leading or critical role at the institution, and her personal statement lacked sufficient detail and supporting documentation.
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AAO found that the reference letters described the Petitioner's skills and accomplishments generally but did not establish that she played a leading or critical role at the institution, and her personal statement lacked sufficient detail and supporting documentation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_02_B2203; source_row=25388 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Other18 papers
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Published material
published material about the alien in professional or major media
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO agreed the articles were deficient: several lack a credited author, some are not about the Petitioner, and crucially, the Petitioner submitted no evidence that any publication qualifies as a professional or major trade publication or other major media. AAO disagreed that online publication is inherently disfavored.
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AAO agreed the articles were deficient: several lack a credited author, some are not about the Petitioner, and crucially, the Petitioner submitted no evidence that any publication qualifies as a professional or major trade publication or other major media. AAO disagreed that online publication is inherently disfavored.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_01_B2203; source_row=25377 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO found the Petitioner's selective reading of membership requirements omitted evidence that the association is local. The Petitioner also mischaracterized one membership criterion and failed to establish which qualification he met or that national/international experts judge membership.
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AAO found the Petitioner's selective reading of membership requirements omitted evidence that the association is local. The Petitioner also mischaracterized one membership criterion and failed to establish which qualification he met or that national/international experts judge membership.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_01_B2203; source_row=25376 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO found the Petitioner's examples of international winners unpersuasive and noted the Petitioner did not provide evidence showing the award is nationally or internationally recognized, nor criteria from the awarding entity.
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AAO found the Petitioner's examples of international winners unpersuasive and noted the Petitioner did not provide evidence showing the award is nationally or internationally recognized, nor criteria from the awarding entity.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_01_B2203; source_row=25375 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Other18 papers
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Original contributions
original contributions of major significance
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO found the recording contract was not attributable to the Petitioner (coverage focused on the conductor, not the Petitioner), the recordings had not yet been issued so significance was premature, and the anticipated contributions were contingent on the Petitioner remaining with an orchestra in China—which would end if he emigrated.
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 recording contract was not attributable to the Petitioner (coverage focused on the conductor, not the Petitioner), the recordings had not yet been issued so significance was premature, and the anticipated contributions were contingent on the Petitioner remaining with an orchestra in China—which would end if he emigrated.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_01_B2203; source_row=25379 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
accreditation of U.S. school issuing advanced degree
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO reads an accreditation requirement into the regulations' use of 'United States' degree, finds that Virginia's state certification is not accreditation, and rejects the argument that later accreditation cures a degree issued while the school was unaccredited.
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AAO reads an accreditation requirement into the regulations' use of 'United States' degree, finds that Virginia's state certification is not accreditation, and rejects the argument that later accreditation cures a degree issued while the school was unaccredited.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_01_B5203; source_row=25383 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
AAO disagreed with the Director, finding that scholarly status depends on content and intended readership, not verifiability of publication source. AAO found that the Petitioner's dissertation and at least two additional papers exhibited the hallmarks of scholarly works and were published in a professional medium.
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AAO disagreed with the Director, finding that scholarly status depends on content and intended readership, not verifiability of publication source. AAO found that the Petitioner's dissertation and at least two additional papers exhibited the hallmarks of scholarly works and were published in a professional medium.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_02_B2203; source_row=25387 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Other18 papers
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Final merits
final merits determination
What the decision said
AAO formally reserved the final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the initial evidence threshold of three criteria, but noted in dicta that the record does not support extraordinary ability.
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AAO formally reserved the final merits determination because the Petitioner failed to meet the initial evidence threshold of three criteria, but noted in dicta that the record does not support extraordinary ability.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2020-03-11_01_B2203; source_row=25382 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c