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 23311–23320

EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot established

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for distinguished organizations

Why AAO was not persuaded

The reference letter did not distinguish the petitioner from other scientists or establish his role was leading or critical for the organization as a whole rather than merely within a research project. Additionally, the regulation's use of the plural 'organizations or establishments' requires a leading or critical role for more than one organization, and the petitioner only claimed one.

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The reference letter did not distinguish the petitioner from other scientists or establish his role was leading or critical for the organization as a whole rather than merely within a research project. Additionally, the regulation's use of the plural 'organizations or establishments' requires a leading or critical role for more than one organization, and the petitioner only claimed one.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-24_02_B2203; source_row=14267
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot established

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed the director's use of 'primarily about you' is consistent with the plain language requiring material 'about' the petitioner, though agreed with counsel that the director's additional requirements (merits of work, standing, significant impact) exceeded the regulation.…

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AAO agreed the director's use of 'primarily about you' is consistent with the plain language requiring material 'about' the petitioner, though agreed with counsel that the director's additional requirements (merits of work, standing, significant impact) exceeded the regulation. Nonetheless, the submitted articles were not about the petitioner: one listed him as one of 11 scientists on a research project, another never mentioned him at all.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-24_02_B2203; source_row=14264
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Biomedical / Life Sciences

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found the petitioner submitted sufficient documentary evidence establishing that he minimally meets the plain language of the regulation requiring authorship of scholarly articles in professional or major trade publications or other major media.

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 found the petitioner submitted sufficient documentary evidence establishing that he minimally meets the plain language of the regulation requiring authorship of scholarly articles in professional or major trade publications or other major media.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-24_02_B2203; source_row=14266
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why AAO was not persuaded

The manuals were accompanied only by blanket translator certifications, which are not permitted under the regulations. Additionally, there was no evidence that the manuals were published in a professional or major trade publication or other major media. Presentation slides also lacked any indication of publication.

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 manuals were accompanied only by blanket translator certifications, which are not permitted under the regulations. Additionally, there was no evidence that the manuals were published in a professional or major trade publication or other major media. Presentation slides also lacked any indication of publication.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-23_09_B2203; source_row=14260
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO departed from the director's finding. The letter from the former official failed to demonstrate formal judging capacity, lacked evidence of his authorization to verify employment information, and merely repeated regulatory language without providing concrete evidence of judging duties.

Why this is useful

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

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The AAO departed from the director's finding. The letter from the former official failed to demonstrate formal judging capacity, lacked evidence of his authorization to verify employment information, and merely repeated regulatory language without providing concrete evidence of judging duties.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-23_09_B2203; source_row=14258
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

One expert letter demonstrated a lead role for one organization, but lacked evidence that the organization had a distinguished reputation. Remaining expert letters were insufficient because the authors were not shown to be authorized to verify employment information, and exclusive reliance on expert letters without primary evidence was inadequate.

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

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One expert letter demonstrated a lead role for one organization, but lacked evidence that the organization had a distinguished reputation. Remaining expert letters were insufficient because the authors were not shown to be authorized to verify employment information, and exclusive reliance on expert letters without primary evidence was inadequate.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-23_09_B2203; source_row=14261
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or significantly high remuneration

Why AAO was not persuaded

The offer letter reflected a future salary not yet commanded, which cannot qualify. The FLC wage data related to a broad category of coaches and scouts in a limited geographic area, not the petitioner's specific field, and did not establish high-end national salary comparisons.

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The offer letter reflected a future salary not yet commanded, which cannot qualify. The FLC wage data related to a broad category of coaches and scouts in a limited geographic area, not the petitioner's specific field, and did not establish high-end national salary comparisons.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-23_09_B2203; source_row=14262
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

Expert letters failed to explain the impact of the petitioner's accomplishments on the field as a whole. Primary evidence of founding membership was lacking and could not be substituted by secondary evidence. Authoring instruction manuals without demonstrable effect on the industry did not constitute major significance contributions.

Why this is useful

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

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Expert letters failed to explain the impact of the petitioner's accomplishments on the field as a whole. Primary evidence of founding membership was lacking and could not be substituted by secondary evidence. Authoring instruction manuals without demonstrable effect on the industry did not constitute major significance contributions.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-23_09_B2203; source_row=14259
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 alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO departed from the director's finding. Foreign language articles lacked distribution data to establish major media status and failed translation requirements. One article was not about the petitioner. Team articles did not mention the petitioner. Another article lacked publication identification and author information.

Why this is useful

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

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The AAO departed from the director's finding. Foreign language articles lacked distribution data to establish major media status and failed translation requirements. One article was not about the petitioner. Team articles did not mention the petitioner. Another article lacked publication identification and author information.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-23_09_B2203; source_row=14257
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

prizes or awards for excellence

Why AAO was not persuaded

Most evidence had evidentiary defects (distorted recipient name, missing name, untranslated foreign language). The only qualifying award was from one competition, but the regulation requires prizes or awards in the plural. Letters were not sworn affidavits and petitioner failed to show primary evidence was unavailable.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
Most evidence had evidentiary defects (distorted recipient name, missing name, untranslated foreign language). The only qualifying award was from one competition, but the regulation requires prizes or awards in the plural. Letters were not sworn affidavits and petitioner failed to show primary evidence was unavailable.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-04-23_09_B2203; source_row=14255
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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