diff --git a/app/controllers/appeals_controller.rb b/app/controllers/appeals_controller.rb
index 9813c971005..6e4c61a4241 100644
--- a/app/controllers/appeals_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/appeals_controller.rb
@@ -92,6 +92,18 @@ def document_count
     handle_non_critical_error("document_count", error)
   end
 
+  # series_id is lowercase, no curly braces because it comes from url
+  def document_lookup
+    series_id = "{#{params[:series_id]}}".upcase
+    document = Document.find_by(series_id: series_id, file_number: appeal.veteran_file_number)
+
+    unless document
+      document = VBMSService.fetch_document_series_for(appeal).map(&:series_id).include?(series_id)
+    end
+
+    render json: { document_presence: document.present? }
+  end
+
   def power_of_attorney
     render json: power_of_attorney_data
   end
@@ -395,4 +407,3 @@ def get_appeal_object(appeals_id)
     end
   end
 end
-
diff --git a/client/app/styles/_commons.scss b/client/app/styles/_commons.scss
index 73ac3e8096b..295967b8a57 100644
--- a/client/app/styles/_commons.scss
+++ b/client/app/styles/_commons.scss
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ svg title {
 
   .cf-form-textarea {
     color: $color-gray-dark;
-    
+
     textarea {
       max-height: 120px;
     }
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 81670f08808..297e72701a7 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -158,6 +158,8 @@
   end
   match '/appeals/:appeal_id/edit/:any' => 'appeals#edit', via: [:get]
 
+  get '/appeals/:appeal_id/document/:series_id' => 'appeals#document_lookup'
+
   get '/appeals/:appeals_id/notifications' => 'appeals#fetch_notification_list'
 
   get '/task_tree/:appeal_type/:appeal_id' => 'task_tree#show'
diff --git a/lib/fakes/vbms_service.rb b/lib/fakes/vbms_service.rb
index bde1e02782b..32ec5f77481 100644
--- a/lib/fakes/vbms_service.rb
+++ b/lib/fakes/vbms_service.rb
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ def self.fetch_documents_for(appeal, _user = nil)
   end
 
   def self.fetch_document_series_for(appeal)
-    Document.where(file_number: appeal.veteran_file_number).map do |document|
+    Document.where(file_number: appeal.veteran_file_number).flat_map do |document|
       (0..document.id % 3).map do |index|
         OpenStruct.new(
           document_id: "#{document.vbms_document_id}#{(index > 0) ? index : ''}",
-          series_id: "TEST_SERIES_#{document.id}",
+          series_id: "{TEST_SERIES_#{document.id}}",
           version: index + 1,
           received_at: document.received_at
         )
diff --git a/spec/controllers/appeals_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/appeals_controller_spec.rb
index 616680c5549..f4d7bc99eca 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/appeals_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/appeals_controller_spec.rb
@@ -342,6 +342,89 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe "GET appeals/:appeal_id/document/:series_id" do
+    let(:series_id) { SecureRandom.uuid }
+    let(:document) { create(:document) }
+
+    before do
+      User.authenticate!(roles: ["System Admin"])
+    end
+
+    def allow_vbms_to_return_doc
+      allow(VBMSService)
+        .to receive(:fetch_document_series_for)
+        .with(appeal)
+        .and_return([OpenStruct.new(series_id: "{#{series_id.upcase}}")])
+    end
+
+    def allow_vbms_to_return_empty_array
+      allow(VBMSService)
+        .to receive(:fetch_document_series_for)
+        .with(appeal)
+        .and_return([])
+    end
+
+    shared_examples "document present" do
+      it "returns true in the JSON" do
+        get :document_lookup, params: { appeal_id: appeal.external_id, series_id: series_id }
+        response_body = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(response_body["document_presence"]).to eq(true)
+      end
+    end
+
+    shared_examples "document not present" do
+      it "returns false in the JSON" do
+        get :document_lookup, params: { appeal_id: appeal.external_id, series_id: series_id }
+        response_body = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(response_body["document_presence"]).to eq(false)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "Appeal" do
+      let(:appeal) { create(:appeal) }
+      context "when document exists in the documents table" do
+        let!(:document) do
+          create(:document,
+                 series_id: "{#{series_id.upcase}}",
+                 file_number: appeal.veteran_file_number)
+        end
+        include_examples "document present"
+      end
+
+      context "when document exists in VBMS" do
+        before { allow_vbms_to_return_doc }
+        include_examples "document present"
+      end
+
+      context "when document does not exist" do
+        before { allow_vbms_to_return_empty_array }
+        include_examples "document not present"
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "LegacyAppeal" do
+      let(:appeal) { create(:legacy_appeal, vacols_case: create(:case, bfcorlid: "0000000000S")) }
+      context "when document exists in the documents table" do
+        let!(:document) do
+          create(:document,
+                 series_id: "{#{series_id.upcase}}",
+                 file_number: appeal.veteran_file_number)
+        end
+        include_examples "document present"
+      end
+
+      context "when document exists in VBMS" do
+        before { allow_vbms_to_return_doc }
+        include_examples "document present"
+      end
+
+      context "when document does not exist" do
+        before { allow_vbms_to_return_empty_array }
+        include_examples "document not present"
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "GET cases/:id" do
     context "Legacy Appeal" do
       let(:the_case) { create(:case) }