20.714—Rule 714. Record of hearing.
(a) Board of Veterans' Appeals.
A hearing before a Member or panel of Members of the Board, whether held in Washington, DC, or at a Department of Veterans Affairs field facility, will be recorded on audio tape. In those instances where a complete written transcript is prepared, that transcript will be the official record of the hearing and the tape recording will be retained at the Board for a period of 12 months following the date of the hearing as a duplicate record of the hearing. Tape recordings of hearings that have not been transcribed will be maintained by the Board as the official record of hearings and retained in accordance with retention standards approved by the National Archives and Records Administration. A transcript will be prepared and incorporated as a part of the claims folder, loan guaranty folder, or other applicable Department of Veterans Affairs records folder if one or more of the following conditions have been met:
(1)
The appellant or representative has shown good cause why such a written transcript should be prepared. (The presiding Member will determine whether good cause has been shown. Requests that recordings of hearing proceedings be transcribed may be made orally at the time of the hearing. Requests made subsequent to the hearing must be in writing and must explain why transcription is necessary. They must be filed with: Director, Management and Administration (01E), Board of Veterans' Appeals, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420.)
(2)
Testimony and/or argument has been presented at the hearing pertaining to an issue which is to be remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction for further development or an issue which is not in appellate status which is to be referred to the agency of original jurisdiction for consideration.
(3)
The hearing involves an issue relating to National Service Life Insurance or United States Government Life Insurance.
(4)
With respect to hearings conducted by a Member or Members of the Board at a Department of Veterans Affairs field facility :
(ii)
The appeal involves reconsideration of a prior Board of Veterans' Appeals decision on the same issue; or
(5)
The Board's decision on an issue addressed at the hearing has been appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
(b) Copy of hearing tape recording or written transcript.
One copy of the tape recording of hearing proceedings before the Board of Veterans' Appeals, or the written transcript of such proceedings when such a transcript has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, shall be furnished without cost to the appellant or representative if a request is made in accordance with § 1.577 of this chapter.