Procedures before the Appeals Council.

§ 404.976 Procedures before the Appeals Council. (a) Limitation of issues. The Appeals Council may limit the issues it considers if it notifies you and the other parties of the issues it will review. (b) Evidence the Appeals Council will exhibit. The Appeals Council will evaluate all additional evidence it receives, but will only mark as an exhibit and make part of the official record additional evidence that it determines meets the requirements of § 404.970(a)(5) and (b). If we need to file a certified administrative record in Federal court, we will include in that record all additional evidence the Appeals Council received during the administrative review process, including additional evidence that the Appeals Council received but did not exhibit or make part of the official record. (c) Oral argument. You may request to appear before the Appeals Council to present oral argument in support of your request for review. The Appeals Council will grant your request if it decides that your case raises an important question of law or policy or that oral argument would help to reach a proper decision. If your request to appear is granted, the Appeals Council will tell you the time and place of the oral argument at least 10 business days before the scheduled date. The Appeals Council will determine whether your appearance will be by video teleconferencing or in person, or, when the circumstances described in § 404.936(c)(2) exist, the Appeals Council may schedule you to appear by telephone. The Appeals Council will determine whether any other person relevant to the proceeding will appear by video teleconferencing, telephone, or in person as based on the circumstances described in § 404.936(c)(4). [81 FR 90994, Dec. 16, 2016, as amended at 84 FR 69306, Dec. 18, 2019; 85 FR 73157, Nov. 16, 2020]