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 19741–19750

EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot established

Case facts

Chemistry / Chemical Engineering2,011 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found the petitioner's citations were minimal to moderate and insufficient to show major significance, journal prestige metrics did not establish article-level impact, reference letters largely spoke to potential future impact rather than existing major contributions, a patent application without evidence of field-wide impact was insufficient, and conference presentations without evidence of influence did not suffice.…

Why this is useful

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

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The AAO found the petitioner's citations were minimal to moderate and insufficient to show major significance, journal prestige metrics did not establish article-level impact, reference letters largely spoke to potential future impact rather than existing major contributions, a patent application without evidence of field-wide impact was insufficient, and conference presentations without evidence of influence did not suffice. Post-filing citation updates were also disregarded as the petitioner must establish eligibility at the time of filing.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_01_B2203; source_row=18411
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations

Why AAO was not persuaded

Even assuming the petitioner performed a leading or critical role for the one remaining organization, he failed to provide independent, objective evidence of that organization's distinguished reputation. Moreover, the plain language of the regulation requires performance in a leading or critical role for 'organizations or establishments' in the plural, and the petitioner only identified one organization on appeal.

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

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Even assuming the petitioner performed a leading or critical role for the one remaining organization, he failed to provide independent, objective evidence of that organization's distinguished reputation. Moreover, the plain language of the regulation requires performance in a leading or critical role for 'organizations or establishments' in the plural, and the petitioner only identified one organization on appeal.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_04_B2203; source_row=18430
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO reversed the director's finding on de novo review. The petitioner's personal statements were unsupported by documentary evidence. The foreign language articles lacked compliant certified translations. Letters and emails from colleagues described the petitioner's managerial or design roles but did not establish he actually performed formal judging duties over the work of others in his or an allied field.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO reversed the director's finding on de novo review. The petitioner's personal statements were unsupported by documentary evidence. The foreign language articles lacked compliant certified translations. Letters and emails from colleagues described the petitioner's managerial or design roles but did not establish he actually performed formal judging duties over the work of others in his or an allied field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_04_B2203; source_row=18426
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

What the decision said

AAO declined to reach a full final merits determination because the petitioner failed to meet the threshold three-criteria requirement, though it briefly noted the evidence did not reflect the requisite level of expertise.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO declined to reach a full final merits determination because the petitioner failed to meet the threshold three-criteria requirement, though it briefly noted the evidence did not reflect the requisite level of expertise.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_02_B2203; source_row=18419
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO affirmed that evidence of reviewing manuscripts for publication is sufficient to establish this criterion.

Why this is useful

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

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AAO affirmed that evidence of reviewing manuscripts for publication is sufficient to establish this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_02_B2203; source_row=18416
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO affirmed that the petitioner has authored scholarly articles in the required publication types.

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 affirmed that the petitioner has authored scholarly articles in the required publication types.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_02_B2203; source_row=18418
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

The record contains sufficient documentary evidence, including a co-authored article published in a named journal, establishing the petitioner meets the plain language of 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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The record contains sufficient documentary evidence, including a co-authored article published in a named journal, establishing the petitioner meets the plain language of this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_03_B2203; source_row=18423
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

The record contains sufficient documentary evidence, including reviewing articles for two publications, establishing the petitioner meets the plain language of this criterion.

Why this is useful

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

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The record contains sufficient documentary evidence, including reviewing articles for two publications, establishing the petitioner meets the plain language of this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_03_B2203; source_row=18422
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Chemistry / Chemical Engineering2,011 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

The petitioner submitted evidence of authoring scholarly articles published in scientific publications, satisfying 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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The petitioner submitted evidence of authoring scholarly articles published in scientific publications, satisfying this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_01_B2203; source_row=18412
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Chemistry / Chemical Engineering2,011 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why the evidence was persuasive

The record includes evidence of the petitioner serving as a reviewer of manuscripts submitted to professional publications, satisfying 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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The record includes evidence of the petitioner serving as a reviewer of manuscripts submitted to professional publications, satisfying the judging criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2014-09-08_01_B2203; source_row=18410
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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