FEDERAL · 38 U.S.C. · Chapter 5
Decisions of the Secretary; finality
Current through Pub. L. 119-102
(a)The Secretary shall decide all questions of law and fact necessary to a decision by the Secretary under a law that affects the provision of benefits by the Secretary to veterans or the dependents or survivors of veterans. Subject to subsection (b), the decision of the Secretary as to any such question shall be final and conclusive and may not be reviewed by any other official or by any court, whether by an action in the nature of mandamus or otherwise.
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
38 U.S.C. § 511 (Decisions of the Secretary; finality) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.
Related
Sugrue v. Derwinski
26 F.3d 8 (Second Circuit, 1994)
R. Edward Bates, Claimant-Appellant v. R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
398 F.3d 1355 (Federal Circuit, 2005)
In re Al-Nashiri
791 F.3d 71 (D.C. Circuit, 2016)
Laruan v. West
11 Vet. App. 80 (Veterans Claims, 1998)
Disabled American Veterans v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs
419 F.3d 1317 (Federal Circuit, 2005)
Tulingan v. Brown
9 Vet. App. 484 (Veterans Claims, 1996)
James R. Cook, Claimant-Appellant v. Anthony J. Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
258 F.3d 1311 (Federal Circuit, 2001)
Meakin v. West
11 Vet. App. 183 (Veterans Claims, 1998)
Bailey v. Gober
10 Vet. App. 454 (Veterans Claims, 1997)
Flores v. Nicholson
19 Vet. App. 516 (Veterans Claims, 2005)
Pacheco v. West
12 Vet. App. 36 (Veterans Claims, 1998)
James Felknor v. United States
432 F. App'x 289 (Fifth Circuit, 2011)
Cruz v. Wilkie
931 F.3d 1143 (Federal Circuit, 2019)
Johnson v. McDonald
28 Vet. App. 136 (Veterans Claims, 2016)
Miller v. United States
(S.D. West Virginia, 2024)
Foster v. USA
(Ninth Circuit, 2025)
Brown v. Sercus
(M.D. Florida, 2023)
Wilson v. United States
(Federal Claims, 2024)
Brian Johnson v. Pritz Navaratnasingam
(Ninth Circuit, 2022)
McClenty v. United States
(S.D. Mississippi, 2024)
Source Credit
History
(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 388.)
Editorial Notes
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
Prior section 511 was renumbered section 1511 of this title.
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 211(a) of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a).
Court Rules
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Writ of mandamus abolished in United States district courts, but relief available by appropriate action or motion, see rule 81, Title 28, Appendix, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Prior Provisions
Prior section 511 was renumbered section 1511 of this title.
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 211(a) of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a).
Court Rules
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Writ of mandamus abolished in United States district courts, but relief available by appropriate action or motion, see rule 81, Title 28, Appendix, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.