The informal remand procedure was developed to provide a pre-hearing case review for
hearing cases that have a strong likelihood of reversal of the adjudicating component’s
initial or reconsideration determination. Either the field office (FO) or the Office
of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) generally identifies informal remand
cases. When the FO identifies the case as an informal remand, they send it to the
adjudicating component that made the unfavorable determination rather than to the
ODAR hearing office. When ODAR identifies a case as an informal remand case, they
forward the case to the adjudicating component.
For adjudicating component procedures, see DI 27520.001 and DI 27520.005.
NOTE: If the FO identifies the case as an informal remand, the case will be a paper case
because this situation is exempt from electronic processing.
If ODAR identifies the case as an informal remand, the case can be a paper case or
a certified electronic folder (CEF) case. The Office of Quality Review (OQR) does
not sample paper cases.