As Your Case Progresses
Frequently Asked Questions About My Case
1. How do I keep track of my case after I file my appeal?
If you have a lawyer, he or she should help you keep track of the case. Regardless of whether you have a lawyer or not, when you file your notice of appeal you will be able to track your case through your case number.
- The Clerk of the Court will assign your case a number.
- This number is known as a docket number and will be different from your VA claim file number, your military service number, and your Social Security number.
- The first two digits of the docket number are the last two digits of the year in which the claim is filed.
- The last four digits represent the order in which appeals are received by the Court during the calendar year.
- Thus the 15th notice of appeal filed in 2011 would have docket number “11-0015.”
- All of the docket information is available on the Court’s website at www.uscourts.cavc.gov.
- On the left side of the home page is a menu (list) of pages.
- Scroll toward the bottom of the page and click on Case Information (this link will also take you directly to the page).
- Then click on Case Docket Report.
- Finally, click on the upper sight line since your appeal will have been recently filed.
- The next page will have a box for your docket number.
- Put your docket number in the upper box and click on the Search button. This will take you to the Court’s docket for your case.
- Finally, click on the docket number of your case.
If you do not have a lawyer or other representative, you must include your docket number on your letter whenever you write to the Court about your appeal and on any materials you send to the Court.
2. What if I have questions?
If you are represented, ask your lawyer. Do not contact the Court or VA directly; your lawyer or representative will do that for you.
If you are not represented,
- If the Pro Bono Program is evaluating your appeal, you can contact the Program with questions about your case.
- You can get in touch with the Pro Bono Program at any time after you have returned the required forms—even if you have not been informed of the results of their review of your case yet.
- The office of the Clerk of the Court can also answer questions—but only about procedures and the status of your appeal.
- The Clerk’s office will not give you legal advice, nor predict how or when your appeal might be decided.
- Contact the Clerk’s office only when you do not have a lawyer or representative, and only if you have not asked the Pro Bono Program to review your case.
- You can reach the Clerk’s office at (202) 501-5970.
How to Appeal Your Claim & FAQs
This website is intended to provide information to individuals who have an active appeal at the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. It is based on the Veterans Consortium’s understanding of the Court’s Rules of Practice and Procedure as of this posting, May (2011). Those rules are subject to change, but an appellant will receive a complete set of current Rules of Practice and Procedure from the clerk of the Court after the Notice of Appeal is filed.
The current Rules of Practice and Procedure are also available at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims web site.