CASE · Clearance Adjudication Search EngineCASE

Loading case…

ISCR Case 22-00804 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 22-00804

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

Case Profile
Decision Date8/7/2023
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Related decisionSee the appeal decision (Case 22-00804) →
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Marc E. Curry
Government Counsel: Karen A. Moreno-Sayles
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 43-year-old woman employed as a facility security officer for a defense contractor. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing concerns under Guideline F, related to financial considerations. The core allegations included approximately $45,000 in delinquent debt, primarily stemming from medical bills and federal student loans, which the applicant attributed to low wages, poor money management skills, and difficulties arising from her recent divorce.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to most of the allegations in the SOR but claimed that her financial issues were largely beyond her control. She provided some context regarding her financial struggles, including the impact of her ex-husband's actions on her credit. However, she did not present sufficient evidence of a concrete plan to address her debts or demonstrate that her financial situation was under control. The administrative judge found that while some mitigating factors applied, the applicant failed to show a clear and responsible effort to resolve her financial obligations.
Ultimately, the administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that her financial problems raised significant concerns regarding her reliability and trustworthiness. The judge determined that it was not consistent with national security interests to grant her eligibility for a security clearance, resulting in a denial of her application.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · Against 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. 22-00804

deniedAug 7, 2023· Hon. Marc E. Curry· hearing

Summary

A 43-year-old woman was denied a security clearance under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) due to unresolved debts totaling approximately $45,000. These financial issues primarily stemmed from medical bills and student loans, with about $14,500 of the student loan debt being federal government loans under COVID-related forbearance.

The Statement of Reasons highlighted her history of delinquent debt. While she did resolve one debt of $1,008 in 2020, the majority of her financial obligations remained outstanding. Disqualifying conditions under Guideline F, specifically AG ¶ 19(a) and AG ¶ 19(c), were raised.

Despite acknowledging her financial difficulties and attributing them to personal circumstances, the applicant failed to demonstrate effective debt management or present a clear plan for resolving her financial issues. Although mitigating conditions AG ¶ 20(b), AG ¶ 20(c), and AG ¶ 20(d) were considered, the judge concluded that the security concerns related to her unresolved financial problems were not sufficiently mitigated, leading to the denial.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant failed to demonstrate effective management of her debts.
She did not provide a clear plan for resolving her financial issues.
The judge found that her financial problems were exacerbated by personal circumstances but still unresolved.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions Beyond the Person's ControlThe applicant's financial problems were exacerbated by her troubled marriage.
AG ¶ 20(c)rejectedReceiving Financial CounselingThe applicant did not provide evidence of effective financial counseling.
AG ¶ 20(d)rejectedGood-faith Effort to Repay DebtsThe applicant did not demonstrate a good-faith effort to resolve her debts.

Key Rule Quoted

“Failure to live within one’s means, satisfy debts, and meet financial obligations may indicate poor self-control, lack of judgment, or unwillingness to abide by rules and regulations, all of which can raise questions about an individual’s reliability, trustworthiness, and ability to protect classified or sensitive information.”
— AG ¶ 18

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedJun 8, 2022
Answer filedJul 7, 2022
Hearing heldJun 21, 2023via video teleconference
Decision dateAug 7, 2023

Cite For

Denial of Security Clearance Due to Unresolved Financial Issues Under Guideline F
Insufficient Evidence of Debt Management and Resolution Plans
Impact of Personal Circumstances on Financial Obligations

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: HearingDecided: denied

The judge found that the applicant has a significant history of financial problems totaling approximately $45,000, primarily consisting of medical bills and student loans. Despite some efforts to address her debts, the applicant's inability to resolve the majority of her financial obligations led to a decision against her under Guideline F.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant has a history of financial problems totaling approximately $45,000 in delinquent debt, including medical bills and student loans. $45,000	Against Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Unknown	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.b	Approximately $14,500 of Applicant's delinquent debt constitutes federal government student loans, which were in COVID-related forbearance. $14,500	Against Applicant	Student Loan Debt	Unknown	(a) inability to satisfy debts (c) a history of not meeting financial obligations	—	—
1.c–1.q	15 sub-charges — specific text not stated in this decision (13 against, 2 for the applicant). (low confidence)	Mixed			—	—	—
1.r	Applicant satisfied the debt alleged in subparagraph 1.y, totaling $1,008, in 2020. $1,008	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.s–1.z	8 sub-charges — specific text not stated in this decision (6 against, 2 for the applicant). (low confidence)	Mixed			—	—	—

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.