(a) Docketing and assignment; notification of representative—

(1) General. Motions under this subpart will be docketed in the order received and will be assigned in accordance with §20.106 (relating to assignment of proceedings). Where an appeal is pending on the same underlying issue at the time the motion is received, the motion and the appeal may be consolidated under the same docket number and disposed of as part of the same proceeding. A motion may not be assigned to any Member who participated in the decision that is the subject of the motion. If a motion is assigned to a panel, the decision will be by a majority vote of the panel Members.

(2) Advancement on the docket. A motion may be advanced on the docket subject to the same substantive and procedural requirements as those applicable to an appeal under Rule 800, paragraph (c) (§20.800(c)) or, for legacy appeals, Rule 902, paragraph (c) (§20.902(c)).

(3) Notification of representative. When the Board receives a motion under this subpart from an individual whose claims file indicates that he or she is represented, the Board shall provide a copy of the motion to the representative before assigning the motion to a Member or panel. Within 30 days after the date on which the Board provides a copy of the motion to the representative, the representative may file a relevant response, including a request to review the claims file prior to filing a further response. Upon request made within the time allowed under this paragraph (a)(2), the Board shall arrange for the representative to have the opportunity to review the claims file, and shall permit the representative a reasonable time after making the file available to file a further response.

(b) Evidence. No new evidence will be considered in connection with the disposition of the motion. Material included in the record on the basis of Rule 1403(b)(2) (§20.1403(b)(2) of this part) is not considered new evidence.

(c) Hearing—

(1) Availability. The Board may, for good cause shown, grant a request for a hearing for the purpose of argument. No testimony or other evidence will be admitted in connection with such a hearing. The determination as to whether good cause has been shown shall be made by the member or panel to whom the motion is assigned.

(2) Submission of requests. Requests for such a hearing shall be submitted to the following address: Board of Veterans' Appeals, P.O. Box 27063, Washington, DC 20038.

(d) Referral to ensure completeness of the record. Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section, the Board may use the various agencies of original jurisdiction to ensure completeness of the record in connection with a motion under this subpart.

(e) General Counsel opinions. The Board may secure opinions of the General Counsel in connection with a motion under this subpart. In such cases, the Board will notify the party and his or her representative, if any. When the opinion is received by the Board, a copy of the opinion will be furnished to the party's representative or, subject to the limitations provided in 38 U.S.C. 5701(b)(1), to the party if there is no representative. A period of 60 days from the date of mailing of a copy of the opinion will be allowed for response. The date of mailing will be presumed to be the same as the date of the letter or memorandum which accompanies the copy of the opinion for purposes of determining whether a response was timely filed.

(f) Decision. The decision of the Board on a motion under this subpart will be in writing. The decision will include separately stated findings of fact and conclusions of law on all material questions of fact and law presented on the record, the reasons or bases for those findings and conclusions, and an order granting or denying the motion.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501(a), 7104(d), 7111)

[64 FR 2139, Jan. 13, 1999, as amended at 64 FR 7091, Feb. 12, 1999; 66 FR 37151, July 17, 2001; 68 FR 53682, Sept. 12, 2003; 81 FR 32650, May 24, 2016; 84 FR 192, Jan. 18, 2019; 84 FR 34788, July 19, 2019]