Federal Agency Decisions
Federal workers' compensation appeals from the Department of Labor's Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB), federal-sector labor-relations cases from the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), Longshore Act and Black Lung Benefits Act appeals from the Department of Labor's Benefits Review Board (BRB), precedent decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), environmental permit and penalty appeals from the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB), and whistleblower and other labor appeals from the Department of Labor's Administrative Review Board (ARB), each with a plain-English summary, the law it cites, and whether it counts as precedent. More agencies are coming.
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J.L. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Little Rock, AR
18-0990 (ECAB): Bilateral knee replacement authorization denial affirmed
J.L., a postal city carrier, fell while delivering mail and later requested authorization for replacement of both knees. OWCP denied the surgery request. The Board found that OWCP did not abuse its discretion on the medical record before it. It affirmed the authorization denial.
A.S. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Coppell, TX
18-0370 (ECAB): Wage-earning capacity modification request remanded
A.S., a postal employee, had a loss of wage-earning capacity determination based on modified work. She later claimed wage-loss disability after her accepted conditions allegedly worsened. OWCP denied the wage-loss claim without addressing modification of the earlier capacity determination. The…
S.S. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Indianapolis, IN
18-1680 (ECAB): Recurring total disability claim denied
S.S., a postal sales and distribution associate, sought compensation for renewed total disability beginning July 22, 2017. OWCP had accepted a January 19, 2017 work injury. The Board found that the medical record did not establish total disability during the claimed period caused by that injury. It…
M.B. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Kennett, MO
18-1589 (ECAB): Back injury claim denial affirmed
M.B., a postal employee, claimed a back condition after a January 24, 2018 work incident. OWCP accepted the incident but denied the injury claim. The Board found that her medical evidence did not adequately connect a back condition to the incident. It affirmed the denial.
R.H. and Department of the Interior, Fish & Wildlife Service, Atlanta, GA
18-1544 (ECAB): Traumatic injury claim denial affirmed
R.H., a Fish and Wildlife Service employee, claimed an injury from a December 12, 2017 work incident. OWCP accepted that the incident occurred but denied the injury claim. The Board found that the medical evidence did not establish a condition causally related to the incident. It affirmed the…
T.S. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Dover, NJ
18-1501 (ECAB): Wrist and shoulder claim denial affirmed
T.S., a postal employee, sought to establish left wrist and shoulder injuries from an August 8, 2012 work incident. OWCP accepted the incident but denied those claimed conditions. The Board found that the medical record did not establish the required causal connection. It affirmed the denial.
S.C. and U.S. Postal Service, Planetarium Station, New York, NY
18-1450 (ECAB): Leg impairment claim remanded over conflicting opinions
S.C., a postal employee, sought a schedule award for impairment of both legs. Her treating physician and an OWCP referral physician gave conflicting impairment opinions. The Board agreed that Dr. Schweitzer was a second-opinion physician because no medical conflict existed when OWCP appointed him…
V.B. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Sedona, AZ
18-1273 (ECAB): Disability period remanded for work-capacity clarification
V.B., a postal employee, claimed disability from March 5 through July 13, 2017. OWCP paid for June 21 through July 13, leaving March 5 through June 20 in dispute. Her treating physicians placed work restrictions, and OWCP’s second-opinion physician said she could have performed at least light duty…
N.M. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Indianapolis, IN
18-1244 (ECAB): Wage-earning capacity modification denied
N.M., a postal employee, sought to change a loss of wage-earning capacity determination issued in 1996. OWCP denied the modification request. The Board found that she had not met her burden to establish a qualifying basis for changing that determination. It affirmed the denial.
K.V. and U.S. Postal Service, Processing & Distribution Center, Wilmington, DE
18-0947 (ECAB): Cervical occupational disease denial affirmed
K.V., a postal processing center employee, claimed that work factors caused cervical conditions. OWCP accepted the described work factors but denied the injury claim. The Board found that the medical record did not adequately link the cervical conditions to those factors. It affirmed the denial.
Integra Health Management, Inc.
Workplace violence citation affirmed
Integra sent service coordinators to meet clients in homes, vehicles, shelters, and other community settings, including clients with mental illness and histories of violence. A service coordinator was killed during a meeting with a client who had a violent history. The Commission held that…
Wright v. American Federation of Government Employees Local 2544
Wright v. AFGE Local 2544 (DOL ARB 2019-0034): unopposed recommended decision adopted
An ALJ issued a recommended decision in Robert Wright's standards-of-conduct case against American Federation of Government Employees Local 2544. The matter arose under the Civil Service Reform Act and Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act. Parties had 15 days after service to file…
Hernandez v. Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, Inc.
Hernandez v. Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company (DOL ARB 2017-0016): training reentry denial followed five-year policy
Joseph Hernandez left Metro-North's engineer training program after failing the physical-characteristics test twice, then was denied reentry several months later. He alleged that the denial retaliated for his earlier mention of a coworker's arrest for driving under the influence. Metro-North…
M.R. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Oakland, CA
18-1643 (ECAB): Telephonic hearing abandonment ruling affirmed
M.R., a postal letter carrier, requested a telephonic hearing in her occupational disease claim. OWCP determined that she had abandoned the request. The Board found that the procedural record supported that determination. It affirmed the hearing decision without deciding the underlying injury claim.
R.D. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Amherst, NY
18-1551 (ECAB): Left foot injury claim denial affirmed
R.D., a postal mail carrier, reported left foot symptoms while walking at work on October 22, 2016. OWCP accepted the incident but denied the injury claim. The Board found that the medical evidence did not establish a left foot condition caused by the incident. It affirmed the denial.
M.E. and Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Asheville, NC
18-1497 (ECAB): Late reconsideration request denied
M.E., a Census Bureau field representative, requested reconsideration of a denied injury claim. OWCP found that her request was late and did not demonstrate clear evidence of error. The Board agreed and affirmed the nonmerit denial. It did not reopen the underlying claim for merits review.
J.M. and Department of the Army, Anniston Army Depot, Anniston, AL
18-1469 (ECAB): Right ear hearing award remains at 15 percent
J.M., an Army depot employee, sought a schedule award above the 15 percent hearing loss previously recognized for his right ear. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a greater monaural impairment. It affirmed OWCP’s decision. The existing right ear award remained in place.
D.R. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Decatur, IL
18-1408 (ECAB): Hand, wrist, and rib injury claim denial affirmed
D.R., a postal rural carrier associate, claimed right hand and wrist injuries and a right rib contusion after an April 26, 2018 work incident. OWCP accepted the incident but denied the injury claim. The Board found that the medical record did not establish those conditions as caused by the…
S.G. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Bergenfield, NJ
18-1271 (ECAB): Recurring total disability denial affirmed
S.G., a postal letter carrier, sought compensation for renewed total disability beginning April 25, 2017. She had an accepted January 3, 2006 work injury. The Board found that the medical evidence did not establish total disability in the claimed period caused by that injury. It affirmed the denial.
K.G. and Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Resource Center, Topeka, KS
18-1233 (ECAB): Emotional condition reconsideration refusal affirmed
K.G., a Veterans Affairs contact representative, claimed a work-related emotional condition. After OWCP denied his claim, he requested reconsideration. The Board found that his submission did not warrant reopening the merits. It affirmed the nonmerit decision without deciding the underlying claim…
L.G. and Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Sneads Ferry, NC
18-1050 (ECAB): Knee incident accepted and injury claim remanded
L.G., a Census Bureau field representative, claimed a right knee injury on January 24, 2018. OWCP denied the claim after disputing whether the incident occurred in the performance of duty. The Board found that the incident was established as a work event. It remanded for OWCP to determine whether a…
J.S. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, New Orleans, LA
18-0513 (ECAB): Emotional condition claim remanded for clear findings
J.S., a postal city carrier, claimed a work-related emotional condition involving a police incident and management conduct. OWCP’s denial gave conflicting findings about whether the events were compensable work factors and whether a medical condition was established. The Board found that the…
Jonathan Wood v. Ceres Marine Terminals, Incorporated
Wood v. Ceres Marine Terminals (BRB 19-0069): appeals sent back for modification proceedings
Jonathan Wood challenged an earlier Board order dismissing his appeal of a benefits award. The Board accepted his later notice of cross appeal as timely because he learned only from the Board’s order that an employer letter had been treated as a new appeal. Both parties then sought modification of…
Maria de la Luz Valdez v. Navy Exchange Service Command
Valdez v. Navy Exchange Service Command (BRB 18-0434): additional injury benefits denied
Maria Valdez fell while working at a Navy Exchange barber shop and received temporary total disability benefits through December 3, 2014, for accepted injuries. She sought further benefits for additional conditions and continuing disability. The Board upheld the judge’s finding that the employer…
Cathy L. Gamblin (widow of and on behalf of Darold N. Gamblin) v. Island Creek Kentucky Mining
Gamblin v. Island Creek Kentucky Mining (BRB 18-0299 BLA and 18-0300 BLA): awards vacated for new hearing
Cathy Gamblin pursued a black lung claim for her late husband Darold Gamblin and a survivor claim for herself. A judge awarded benefits in both claims, but the employer challenged the judge’s appointment under the Constitution. The Board found that the judge had taken significant action before her…
Cathy L. Gamblin (widow of and on behalf of Darold N. Gamblin) v. Island Creek Kentucky Mining
Gamblin v. Island Creek Kentucky Mining (BRB 18-0299 BLA and 18-0300 BLA): awards vacated for new hearing
Cathy Gamblin pursued a black lung claim for her late husband Darold Gamblin and a survivor claim for herself. A judge awarded benefits in both claims, but the employer challenged the judge’s appointment under the Constitution. The Board found that the judge had taken significant action before her…
Denver Parker v. Perry County Coal Corporation
Parker v. Perry County Coal (BRB 18-0292 BLA): black lung benefits denial affirmed
Denver Parker sought black lung benefits after 23 years of underground coal mine work. A judge denied the claim because Parker had not established a totally disabling respiratory or pulmonary impairment. The Board reviewed the breathing tests, blood gas studies, and medical opinions and upheld that…
Robert P. Horan v. Blaschak Coal Corporation
Horan v. Blaschak Coal (BRB 18-0185 BLA): modification request and benefits denial affirmed
Robert Horan sought to modify an earlier denial of black lung benefits. A judge denied modification because the evidence still did not establish total respiratory disability. The Board upheld the judge’s treatment of conflicting breathing tests and her decision to give greater weight to the medical…
Ruth Lee Neal (widow of Thomas N. Neal) v. Union Carbide Corporation
Neal v. Union Carbide (BRB 18-0138 BLA): survivor benefits denial affirmed
Ruth Neal sought survivor benefits after the death of her husband Thomas Neal, who had worked in coal mining. A judge denied the claim because the evidence did not establish that he had pneumoconiosis. The Board upheld the judge’s weighing of conflicting X-ray and CT scan readings, including his…
William L. Willis v. United Pocahontas Coal Company
Willis v. United Pocahontas Coal (BRB 18-0135 BLA): black lung award affirmed
William Willis received black lung benefits after a judge found 30 years of underground coal mine work and total respiratory disability. The employer challenged the disability finding and argued that its medical evidence rebutted the resulting fifteen-year presumption. The Board upheld the judge’s…
Paul H. Bailey v. Bailey Mining Company
Bailey v. Bailey Mining (BRB 18-0113 BLA): black lung denial returned for medical review
Paul Bailey sought black lung benefits in a subsequent claim. The Board upheld the judge’s finding that Bailey had fewer than fifteen years of coal mine employment, so the fifteen-year presumption did not apply. It also upheld the finding that the evidence did not establish clinical pneumoconiosis…
A.H. Sturgill Roofing, Inc.
Roofing heat citations vacated
A temporary employee collapsed while working on a commercial roof and later died from complications of heat stroke. The Commission found that the Secretary did not prove the worksite conditions presented a significant excessive-heat hazard, noting that the heat index reached only the lowest warning…
Carl Noble v. Cumberland River Coal Company
Noble v. Cumberland River Coal (BRB 18-0419 BLA): black lung award vacated for new hearing
Carl Noble received black lung benefits after a judge applied the fifteen-year presumption and found the employer had not rebutted it. The employer challenged the judge’s appointment under the Constitution. The Board found that the judge had taken significant action before his appointment was…
J.W. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Tampa, FL
18-1611 (ECAB): Late written-record review request denied
J.W., a postal letter carrier, sought review of the written record in his occupational disease claim. OWCP denied the request because it was filed late. The Board found that OWCP did not abuse its discretion in declining review. It affirmed the procedural decision without deciding the underlying…
J.M. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Richmond, PA
18-1578 (ECAB): Back injury claim denial affirmed
J.M., a postal employee, sought to establish a back condition from an October 28, 2015 work incident. OWCP accepted the incident but denied the injury claim. The Board found that the medical record did not establish a causal connection between the event and the claimed back condition. It affirmed…
J.D. and Department of Veterans Affairs, West Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
18-1533 (ECAB): Recurring total disability denial affirmed
J.D., a Veterans Affairs health technician, sought compensation for renewed total disability beginning May 30, 2017. She had an accepted August 24, 2015 injury. The Board found that the medical evidence did not establish total disability during the claimed period caused by that injury. It affirmed…
S.P. and Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Jackson, MS
18-1419 (ECAB): Knee claim reconsideration refusal affirmed
S.P., a Veterans Affairs nursing assistant, claimed knee injuries from a work event. OWCP accepted her right knee sprain claim. After it denied her separate recurrence claim, she sought reconsideration. The Board found that her submission did not warrant reopening the merits and affirmed the…
L.W. and Department of the Navy, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA
18-1372 (ECAB): Wage-loss and medical benefits termination affirmed
L.W., a Navy medical center painter, had an accepted 1996 work injury. OWCP ended wage-loss and medical benefits effective June 22, 2018. The Board found that OWCP proved he no longer had disability or residuals caused by that injury. It affirmed the termination.
M.M. and Department of Veterans Affairs, New York Harbor Healthcare System, Brooklyn, NY
18-1366 (ECAB): Left elbow injury claim denial affirmed
M.M., a Veterans Affairs employee, sought to establish a left elbow condition from an April 3, 2014 work incident. OWCP accepted that the incident occurred but denied the injury claim because no left elbow condition was shown to be causally related to it. The Board found that the medical record did…
E.B. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Denver, CO
18-1211 (ECAB): Nine percent left leg award affirmed
E.B., a postal mail handler, sought a schedule award above the nine percent impairment already recognized for his left leg. The Board found that the evidence did not establish greater permanent impairment. It affirmed OWCP’s decision. The nine percent award remained in place.
R.F. and Department of the Army, Chemical Materials Agency, Tooele, UT
18-0810 (ECAB): Binaural hearing award remains at 29 percent
R.F., an Army Chemical Materials Agency employee, sought compensation for more than 29 percent binaural hearing loss. He had previously received an award at that rating. The Board found that the evidence did not establish greater permanent hearing impairment. It affirmed OWCP’s decision.
Lon S. Key v. Electric Boat Corporation
Key v. Electric Boat (BRB 18-0579): hearing loss amount upheld, late payment issue returned
Lon Key received benefits for hearing loss measured shortly before he retired from Electric Boat. Later tests showed more hearing loss, and he sought additional benefits. The Board upheld the judge’s reliance on the retirement audiogram to measure compensable loss and affirmed denial of additional…
Mark P. Paradiso v. Huntington Ingalls Incorporated, Pascagoula Operations
Paradiso v. Huntington Ingalls (BRB 18-0380): former attorney’s fee award affirmed
Mark Paradiso settled a work injury claim after replacing his first attorney, Jay Foster. A district director awarded Foster $13,860 for work performed before the settlement. The employer argued that the fee request was late, that Foster had not contributed to the successful claim, and that the…
Ronald A. Fossat v. Sunnyside Coal Company
Fossat v. Sunnyside Coal (BRB 18-0333 BLA): black lung award vacated for different judge
Ronald Fossat received black lung benefits after a judge applied the fifteen-year presumption. An earlier Board remand had allowed the same judge to reaffirm his decision after his appointment was ratified. The employer renewed its constitutional challenge to the judge’s appointment. The Board held…
Rodrick D. Feltner v. Shamrock Coal Company, Incorporated
Feltner v. Shamrock Coal (BRB 18-0152 BLA): denial of black lung benefits affirmed
Rodrick Feltner sought black lung benefits in a subsequent claim after two earlier claims were denied. The administrative law judge credited nineteen years of underground coal mine work but found the new evidence did not show complicated pneumoconiosis or a totally disabling respiratory impairment…
Teddy F. Frazee v. Southern Ohio Coal Company
Frazee v. Southern Ohio Coal (BRB 18-0129 BLA): black lung benefits award affirmed
Teddy Frazee was awarded black lung benefits after a judge found at least twenty-four years of underground coal mine employment and a totally disabling respiratory impairment. Those findings invoked the fifteen-year presumption that his disability was due to pneumoconiosis. Southern Ohio Coal…
Stanley Ray Tackett v. ICG Knott County, LLC
Tackett v. ICG Knott County (BRB 18-0033 BLA): black lung benefits award affirmed
Stanley Tackett received black lung benefits after a judge found that he had complicated pneumoconiosis. On an earlier appeal, the Board required the judge to reconsider the credentials of physicians who disagreed about a recent x-ray. The judge again found the x-ray positive for complicated…
Henin v. Soo Line Railroad Company d/b/a Canadian Pacific
Henin v. Soo Line Railroad Company (DOL ARB 2019-0028): appeal dismissed as late
Kenneth Henin petitioned for review of a January 11, 2019, ALJ decision in his Federal Rail Safety Act case. The Board initially calculated the 14-day deadline by excluding the decision date, counting weekends and holidays, and making January 25 the due date. Henin filed on January 28 and did not…
Burns v. The Upstate National Bank
Bank not shown to be covered by SOX
Rene Burns alleged that Upstate National Bank fired her for protected activity under Sarbanes-Oxley. Section 806 covers companies with securities registered under Securities Exchange Act Section 12 or companies required to file periodic reports under Section 15(d), along with specified subsidiaries…
J.A. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Milwaukee, WI
J.A. (ECAB 18-1681): Shoulder claim denied for lack of medical causation evidence
J.A., a postal rural carrier, attributed a left rotator cuff condition to casing mail, loading parcels and trays, and carrying a mailbag on his left shoulder. His doctors diagnosed shoulder conditions and discussed a separate vehicle accident, but did not explain how the accepted work duties caused…
R.C. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Hopkinsville, KY
R.C. (ECAB 18-1639): Vehicle crash claim denied without medical diagnosis
R.C., a postal rural carrier, reported a concussion and a cut above his eye after a vehicle crash during work. OWCP accepted that the crash occurred in the performance of duty. The Board found that a nurse's report and an unsigned return to work slip supplied no competent diagnosis or medical…
E.V. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Ponce, PR
E.V. (ECAB 18-1617): Back condition claim denied for lack of medical causation evidence
E.V., a postal letter carrier, attributed his back conditions to working a mounted route over poor road surfaces. Several reports described diagnoses and work restrictions without explaining what caused the conditions. One doctor checked a form box linking the conditions to work but gave no…
M.L. and Department of Veterans Affairs, Hudson Valley Health Care System, Wappinger Falls, NY
M.L. (ECAB 18-1605): Left shoulder claim denied without reasoned medical link to duties
M.L., a VA radiologic technologist, reported left shoulder pain and attributed it to helping lift and move patients for imaging examinations. OWCP accepted those work activities but found no medical proof that they caused his current shoulder conditions. His doctor diagnosed tendinitis and…
S.H. and U.S. Postal Service, Processing and Distribution Center, Atlanta, GA
S.H. (ECAB 18-1342): Full day of wage loss for shoulder injury not established
S.H., a postal mail processing clerk with an accepted right shoulder strain, sought eight hours of wage loss for October 26, 2017. She said she missed work for a medical appointment and imaging, but the record did not document an appointment that day. A doctor excused her from work after an…
K.S. and U.S. Postal Service, Post Office, Maricopa, AZ
K.S. (ECAB 18-0954): Recurrence and new shoulder tear claims denied
K.S., a rural mail carrier with an accepted 2011 left shoulder injury, sought benefits after shoulder symptoms returned in January 2017. She claimed both a recurrence of disability from the old injury and a new rotator cuff tear from repetitive work. The Board found no medical opinion showing a…
C.F. and Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Albans Harbor Healthcare System, Jamaica, NY
C.F. (ECAB 18-0791): Fall injury denial and late hearing request affirmed
C.F., a VA nursing assistant, slipped on a wet floor at work and claimed a back injury. OWCP accepted the fall, but the Board found that the medical reports gave no firm diagnosis and did not adequately link an injury to the incident. C.F.'s hearing request was mailed more than 30 days after the…
J.B. and Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, CA
J.B. (ECAB 17-1190): FBI agent wage loss claim remanded for earning capacity review
J.B. moved from an FBI special agent role to an operational management specialist position after an accepted work injury. Her employer reported that the change ended her availability pay and reduced her earnings. OWCP treated her compensation claim as a recurrence of disability. The Board held that…
Social Security Administration (Agency) and National Treasury Employees Union (Union)
Social Security Administration and NTEU (FLRA 0-AR-5364): Performance-appraisal award upheld
A Social Security Administration attorney-advisor challenged a successful performance rating and argued that her work merited an outstanding rating. The arbitrator found the agency's appraisal system fair but concluded that the agency had not properly considered the employee's self-assessment…
Secretary of Labor on behalf of James Dee Terry v. Prospect Mining & Development Co., LLC
Physical reinstatement ordered absent agreement
James Dee Terry alleged that Prospect Mining reassigned him, removed a company benefit, and fired him shortly after he reported safety concerns to MSHA and company management. Prospect withdrew its request for a temporary-reinstatement hearing but asked the Judge to order economic rather than…
Randell Shepherd v. Incoal, Incorporated
Shepherd v. Incoal (BRB 18-0370): benefits award vacated for a new hearing
Randell Shepherd received a black lung benefits award after the judge found 18 years of qualifying coal mine work, total disability, and no rebuttal of the statutory presumption. Incoal challenged the judge's appointment under the Constitution's Appointments Clause. The Board held the challenge…
What these documents are
- The agencies: Federal workers' compensation appeals from the Department of Labor's Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB), federal-sector labor-relations cases from the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), Longshore Act and Black Lung Benefits Act appeals from the Department of Labor's Benefits Review Board (BRB), precedent decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), environmental permit and penalty appeals from the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB), and whistleblower and other labor appeals from the Department of Labor's Administrative Review Board (ARB). Each decision page names its agency.
- Commission, Board and Authority decisions: Rulings by the agency's highest review level (the Commission at OSHRC and FMSHRC, the Authority at FLRA, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Administrative Review Board at Labor, and the Environmental Appeals Board at EPA). These are citable as precedent, though a decision may have been appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals after issuance.
- ALJ decisions: Rulings by the agency's Administrative Law Judges after a hearing. When no Commissioner directs review, an ALJ decision becomes a final order that binds the parties in that case but is not binding precedent: under 29 U.S.C. § 661(j) at OSHRC, and after the 40-day window of 30 U.S.C. § 823(d)(1) at FMSHRC.
- Why finality matters: Every page here says which kind of decision you are reading, so you know whether it is precedent you can cite or a final order that only shows how one judge ruled on one set of facts.
- Where they come from: Every page links the official public release from the deciding agency, and the full text on the page is that release. The plain-English summaries are written by Ezel.