CASE · Clearance Adjudication Search EngineCASE

Loading case…

ISCR Case 19-01951 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 19-01951

A decided public DOHA case, shown for research — not advice or a prediction.

Case Profile
Decision Date2/7/2020
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Noreen A. Lynch
Government Counsel: Aubrey M. De Angelis
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 32-year-old individual seeking a security clearance, with allegations raised under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) due to 19 delinquent debts totaling approximately $28,000, alongside an additional $31,000 in student loans and other debts. The Statement of Reasons (SOR) indicated that the applicant's financial issues could raise concerns about reliability and trustworthiness, which are critical for access to classified information.
The applicant admitted to the existence of the debts but denied the allegations of delinquency, attributing his financial difficulties to a series of personal challenges, including a separation from his wife, periods of unemployment, and health issues. He provided evidence of payments made towards some debts and outlined his efforts to manage his financial situation, including moving in with his parents and creating a budget. However, he did not provide sufficient documentation for all claims, particularly regarding some payments and the status of certain debts.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, concluding that he had successfully mitigated the financial concerns raised in the SOR. The judge found that the applicant's financial difficulties were largely due to circumstances beyond his control and noted his proactive steps to address his debts, including establishing payment plans and demonstrating a commitment to financial responsibility. The judge emphasized the importance of the whole-person concept in evaluating the applicant's overall reliability and trustworthiness, ultimately determining that granting the security clearance was consistent with national security interests.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
Similar decisions
Other decisions whose allegations read most like this one. Descriptive similarity of the allegations only — not a prediction.
Finding similar decisions…

Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 19-01951

grantedFeb 7, 2020· Hon. Noreen A. Lynch· hearing

Summary

A 32-year-old federal contractor was granted a security clearance despite initial concerns under Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The Statement of Reasons alleged 19 delinquent debts totaling $28,000, with an additional $31,000 owed to student loan providers and private creditors. These issues raised disqualifying conditions AG ¶ 19(a) and AG ¶ 19(c).

The applicant attributed his financial difficulties to personal circumstances, including a separation and periods of unemployment, as well as medical issues. He demonstrated a history of responsible actions to address these issues, providing evidence of payments made towards delinquent debts and establishing payment plans.

The judge applied mitigating conditions AG ¶ 20(a), AG ¶ 20(b), AG ¶ 20(c), and AG ¶ 20(d), finding that the financial difficulties were largely due to circumstances beyond the applicant's control. The applicant sufficiently mitigated the financial concerns, leading to the granting of eligibility for access to classified information.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant demonstrated a history of responsible actions to address his financial issues.
He provided evidence of payments made towards delinquent debts and established payment plans.
The financial difficulties were largely due to circumstances beyond his control, including unemployment and medical issues.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability to Satisfy Debts
AG ¶ 19(c)raisedA History of Not Meeting Financial Obligations

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(a)appliedBehavior Happened so Long Ago or Occurred Under Circumstances Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions That Resulted in Financial Problems Were Largely Beyond the Person's Control
AG ¶ 20(c)rejectedReceived Financial Counseling From a Legitimate SourceThe applicant sought financial counseling but found the fees too steep.
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors

Key Rule Quoted

“Any doubt concerning personnel being considered for national security eligibility will be resolved in favor of the national security.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJul 8, 2019
Answer filed—
Hearing held—Applicant requested a review based on the written record.
Decision dateFeb 7, 2020

Cite For

Mitigation of Financial Concerns Under Guideline F Due to Personal Circumstances
Demonstrating Responsible Actions to Address Financial Issues
Consideration of the Whole-person Concept in Security Clearance Decisions

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline F · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant had multiple delinquent debts totaling approximately $59,000, including student loans and other creditors. However, the applicant successfully mitigated the financial concerns by demonstrating efforts to resolve the debts and addressing the circumstances that led to the financial difficulties, resulting in a decision to grant the security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant has 19 delinquent debts in the amount of $28,000 including an additional $31,000 attributable to student loan providers and several private creditors. $59,000	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Denied	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly	Claimed Other
1.b–1.s	18 sub-charges — specific text not stated in this decision (for the applicant).	For Applicant			—	—	—

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline F). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.