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.
display of work at artistic exhibitions or showcases
Why AAO was not persuaded
The law of the case doctrine did not apply because prior decisions on separate I-140 filings are separate matters and prior erroneous approvals are not binding. The DVD was instructional rather than an artistic display of the Petitioner's dance movements or choreography, the Petitioner was the general producer rather than the identified artistic contributor, and no documentation showed how the DVD was displayed at dancing e…
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The law of the case doctrine did not apply because prior decisions on separate I-140 filings are separate matters and prior erroneous approvals are not binding. The DVD was instructional rather than an artistic display of the Petitioner's dance movements or choreography, the Petitioner was the general producer rather than the identified artistic contributor, and no documentation showed how the DVD was displayed at dancing events and competitions.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-30_01_B2203; source_row=19794 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements
Why AAO was not persuaded
The bylaws for each organization showed requirements that were mostly administrative, health-related, or age-based rather than requiring outstanding achievements. Where achievement-related language appeared (e.g., 'great impact in the industry'), terms were undefined and unsupported by specific examples.…
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Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.
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The bylaws for each organization showed requirements that were mostly administrative, health-related, or age-based rather than requiring outstanding achievements. Where achievement-related language appeared (e.g., 'great impact in the industry'), terms were undefined and unsupported by specific examples. None of the associations demonstrated that membership achievements were judged by recognized national or international experts.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-30_01_B2203; source_row=19790 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
OtherManager
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Final merits
final merits determination
Why AAO was not persuaded
AAO stated that although step 2 was not required given the failure at step 1, a review of the evidence in the aggregate showed the Petitioner had not demonstrated the level of expertise required for EB-1A classification.
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AAO stated that although step 2 was not required given the failure at step 1, a review of the evidence in the aggregate showed the Petitioner had not demonstrated the level of expertise required for EB-1A classification.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-30_01_B2203; source_row=19796 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
OtherManager
Issue evaluated
EB-1A · Original contributions
original contributions of major significance
Why AAO was not persuaded
Judging, membership, and leadership activities were covered by separate criteria and were not presumptively evidence of original contributions of major significance. The instructional DVD had limited distribution primarily within southwestern China, and supporting letters either lacked contact information, contained inconsistencies, or offered only conclusory assertions without documentary corroboration that the DVD impacte…
Why this is useful
Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.
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Judging, membership, and leadership activities were covered by separate criteria and were not presumptively evidence of original contributions of major significance. The instructional DVD had limited distribution primarily within southwestern China, and supporting letters either lacked contact information, contained inconsistencies, or offered only conclusory assertions without documentary corroboration that the DVD impacted the sport dance field at a level of major significance.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-30_01_B2203; source_row=19793 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Computer Science / AIPhD
Issue evaluated
NIW · Waiver on balance
national interest substantially greater than available U.S. worker
Why the evidence was persuasive
AAO affirmed the Director's finding on the third prong, noting the Petitioner's work has had a degree of influence on the field as a whole, supported by letters from peers and extensive independent citations of his published articles.
Why this is useful
See which endeavor-specific facts mattered to the waiver analysis beyond a preference to self-petition.
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AAO affirmed the Director's finding on the third prong, noting the Petitioner's work has had a degree of influence on the field as a whole, supported by letters from peers and extensive independent citations of his published articles.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-30_03_B5203; source_row=19799 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
NIWNIW · Well positionedEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Computer Science / AIPhD
Issue evaluated
NIW · Well positioned
national in scope
Why the evidence was persuasive
AAO found that the Director improperly required a job offer or pre-arranged contracts to prove national scope. The Petitioner's research plan on coding schemes and cryptographic technologies, supported by a detailed research plan, extensive published articles, and expert letters, demonstrated national-scale economic and technological benefits.
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Identify the progress, resources, outside interest, or record-to-plan connection that AAO expected to see.
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AAO found that the Director improperly required a job offer or pre-arranged contracts to prove national scope. The Petitioner's research plan on coding schemes and cryptographic technologies, supported by a detailed research plan, extensive published articles, and expert letters, demonstrated national-scale economic and technological benefits.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-30_03_B5203; source_row=19798 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
The evidence supported a finding that the Petitioner had served as a judge at more than twenty sport dance competitions, satisfying the plain language of the criterion.
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The evidence supported a finding that the Petitioner had served as a judge at more than twenty sport dance competitions, satisfying the plain language of the criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-30_01_B2203; source_row=19792 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Computer Science / AI11 papers
Issue evaluated
NIW · Waiver on balance
national interest substantially greater than available U.S. worker
Why the evidence was persuasive
AAO found the expert letters and submitted publications provided persuasive evidence that the petitioner's methods in active learning and high-dimensional statistics were significant and influential, establishing a degree of influence on the field as a whole sufficient to project future national interest benefit substantially greater than a U.S. worker.
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See which endeavor-specific facts mattered to the waiver analysis beyond a preference to self-petition.
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AAO found the expert letters and submitted publications provided persuasive evidence that the petitioner's methods in active learning and high-dimensional statistics were significant and influential, establishing a degree of influence on the field as a whole sufficient to project future national interest benefit substantially greater than a U.S. worker.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-29_01_B5203; source_row=19788 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
NIWNIW · Well positionedEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context
Case facts
Computer Science / AI11 papers
Issue evaluated
NIW · Well positioned
national in scope
Why the evidence was persuasive
AAO implicitly accepted the national scope of the petitioner's contributions based on the record showing broad application of his methods across multiple sectors and citing institutions.
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Identify the progress, resources, outside interest, or record-to-plan connection that AAO expected to see.
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AAO implicitly accepted the national scope of the petitioner's contributions based on the record showing broad application of his methods across multiple sectors and citing institutions.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2015-10-29_01_B5203; source_row=19787 Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c