[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 38, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 38CFR20.605]

[Page 82-83]
 
            TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF
 
          CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (CONTINUED)
 
PART 20--BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS: RULES OF PRACTICE--Table of Contents
 
                        Subpart G--Representation
 
Sec. 20.605  Rule 605. Other persons as representative.

    (a) Scope of rule. This section applies to representation other than 
by a recognized organization, an agent admitted to practice before the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, or an attorney-at-law.
    (b) Who may act as representative. Any competent person may be 
recognized as a representative for a particular claim, unless that 
person has been barred from practice before the Department of Veterans 
Affairs.
    (c) Designation. The designation of an individual to act as an 
appellant's representative may be made by executing a VA Form 22a, 
``Appointment of Attorney or Agent as Claimant's Representative.'' This 
form gives the individual power of attorney to represent the appellant 
in all matters pertaining to the presentation and prosecution of claims 
for any and all benefits under laws administered by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. In lieu of using the form, the designation may be by a 
written document signed by both the appellant and the individual 
representative, which may be in the form of a letter, which authorizes a 
named individual to act as the appellant's representative only with 
respect to a specific claim involving one or more specific benefits. The 
document must include the name of the veteran; the name of the appellant 
if other than the veteran (e.g., a veteran's survivor, a guardian, or a 
fiduciary appointed to receive VA benefits on an individual's behalf); 
the applicable Department of Veterans Affairs file number; the 
appellant's consent for the individual representative to have access to 
his or her Department of Veterans Affairs records; the name of the 
individual representative; a description of the specific claim for 
benefits to which the designation of representation applies; and a 
certification that no compensation will be charged or paid for the 
individual representative's services. The designation, in either form, 
must be filed with the agency of original jurisdiction or, if the 
appellate record has been certified to the Board for review, with the 
Board of Veterans' Appeals. The designation will be effective when it is 
received by the agency of original jurisdiction or, if the appellate 
record has been certified to the Board for review, by the Board of 
Veterans' Appeals. A properly filed designation made prior to appeal 
will continue to be honored, unless it has been revoked or unless the 
representative has properly withdrawn.
    (d) Representation of more than one appellant. An individual 
recognized as an appellant's representative under this Rule may 
represent only one appellant. If an individual has been recognized as a 
representative for one appellant and wishes to represent another 
appellant, he or she must obtain permission to do

[[Page 83]]

so from the Office of the General Counsel as provided in Sec. 14.630 of 
this chapter.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5903)

[57 FR 4109, Feb. 3, 1992, as amended at 61 FR 20450, May 7, 1996]