What is AOD?

Some appeals are marked AOD, or Advance on Docket.

AOD cases represent the highest-priority cases. Veterans can be "advanced on the docket" due to age, financial hardship, terminal illness, etc., and therefore skip ahead in the line.

AOD status is automatic when a Veteran reaches 75 years of age, while other reasons require that the Veteran file a motion.

The logic for whether an appeal is considered AOD is mostly encapsulated in Appeal#aod? (which also looks for AdvanceOnDocketMotions, and in LegacyAppeal#aod? (which ultimately comes from VACOLS through AppealRepository).

Additional Information

• https://www.va.gov/decision-reviews/legacy-appeals/priority-review/
• https://www.knowva.ebenefits.va.gov/system/templates/selfservice/va_ssnew/help/customer/locale/en-US/portal/554400000001018/content/554400000139892/M21-5-Chapter-7-Section-F-Docketing-Certification-and-Claims-Folder-Transfer-to-the-Board-of-Veterans-Appeals#6
• https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/chapter-I/part-20#p-20.902(c)

Steps to mark an appeal as AOD in Caseflow:

1. Log in as a user within the AodTeam Organization.
2. Click the "Search" link in the top right corner of the page next to the username.

3. Enter the docket number or Veteran ID , for the case that you want to mark as AOD, into the search field and click search
4. Click on the docket number to bring up the case details screen

5. Click the "Edit" link under the veteran id

6. The Update Advanced on Docket Status modal will pop up

• For the AOD Motion Disposition field, choose grant from the drop down
• For the Reason field, choose a reason from the drop down
• Click the Submit

7. After the modal closes there will be an a success banner on the top of the screen and an AOD label under the Appeal Stream Type to show that the case has been successfully placed in AOD status.