# 38 C.F.R. § 20.700 (2026): Rule 700. General > Federal · Regulations · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_700 ## Section - **Citation:** 38 C.F.R. § 20.700 (2026) - **Heading:** Rule 700. General - **Jurisdiction:** Federal - **Kind:** Regulations - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Title 38 CFR: Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief / Chapter I: DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS / Part 20: BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS: RULES OF PRACTICE / Subpart H: Hearings on Appeal / § 20.700: § 20.700 Rule 700. General. ## Text (a) Right to a hearing. A hearing on appeal will be granted if an appellant, or an appellant's representative acting on his or her behalf, expresses a desire to testify before the Board. An appellant is limited to one Board hearing following the filing of a Notice of Disagreement with a decision of the agency of original jurisdiction. Requests for additional Board hearings may be granted for good cause shown. (b) Purpose of hearing. The purpose of a hearing is to receive argument and testimony relevant and material to the appellate issue or issues. It is contemplated that the appellant and witnesses, if any, will be present. A hearing will not normally be scheduled solely for the purpose of receiving argument by a representative. Such argument may be submitted in the form of a written brief. Requests for appearances by representatives alone to personally present argument to Members of the Board may be granted if good cause is shown. Whether good cause has been shown will be determined by the presiding Member assigned to conduct the hearing. (c) Nonadversarial proceedings. Hearings conducted by the Board are ex parte in nature and nonadversarial. Parties to the hearing will be permitted to ask questions, including follow-up questions, of all witnesses but cross-examination will not be permitted. Proceedings will not be limited by legal rules of evidence, but reasonable bounds of relevancy and materiality will be maintained. The presiding Member may set reasonable time limits for the presentation of argument and may exclude documentary evidence, testimony, and/or argument which is not relevant or material to the issue, or issues, being considered or which is unduly repetitious. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 7102, 7105(a), 7107) [57 FR 4109, Feb. 3, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 27935, May 12, 1993; 61 FR 20450, May 7, 1996; 84 FR 184, Jan. 18, 2019] ## Nearby sections - [38 C.F.R. § 20.700 (2026) § 20.700 Rule 700. General.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_700.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.701 (2026) § 20.701 Rule 701. Who may present oral argument.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_701.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.702 (2026) § 20.702 Rule 702. Methods by which hearings are conducted.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_702.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.703 (2026) § 20.703 Rule 703. When a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals may be requested; procedure for requesting a change in method of hearing.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_703.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.704 (2026) § 20.704 Rule 704. Scheduling and notice of hearings conducted by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_704.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.705 (2026) § 20.705 Rule 705. Functions of the presiding Member.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_705.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.706 (2026) § 20.706 Rule 706. Designation of Member or Members to conduct the hearing.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_706.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.707 (2026) § 20.707 Rule 707. Prehearing conference.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_707.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.708 (2026) § 20.708 Rule 708. Witness at hearings.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_708.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.709 (2026) § 20.709 Rule 709. Subpoenas.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_709.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.710 (2026) § 20.710 Rule 710. Expenses of appellants, representatives, and witnesses incident to hearings not reimbursable by the Government.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_710.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.711 (2026) § 20.711 Rule 711. Hearings in simultaneously contested claims.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_711.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.712 (2026) § 20.712 Rule 712. Record of hearing.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_712.md) - [38 C.F.R. § 20.713 (2026) § 20.713 Rule 713. Recording of hearing by appellant or representative.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_713.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T38_P20_S20_700. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.