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ISCR Case 22-02258 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 22-02258

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

Case Profile
Decision Date9/11/2023
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Roger C. Wesley
Government Counsel: Brian L. Farrell
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 31-year-old employee of a defense contractor seeking a security clearance. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing financial considerations as the primary concern, specifically alleging that the applicant had accumulated significant delinquent debts, including over $35,000 in student loans and additional consumer debts exceeding $2,900. The applicant admitted to most of the allegations but denied some specific debts, attributing his financial difficulties to a divorce and the responsibilities of single parenthood.
During the hearing, the applicant provided testimony and supplemental documentation to support his claims of financial hardship, including a payment plan for one of the debts and evidence of his efforts to manage his student loans. The administrative judge found the applicant's explanations credible, particularly in light of the extenuating circumstances surrounding his divorce and child-rearing responsibilities. Ultimately, the judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting eligibility for access to classified information, concluding that the applicant had sufficiently mitigated the financial concerns raised in the SOR.
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.
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 22-02258

grantedSep 11, 2023· Hon. Roger C. Wesley· hearing

Summary

A 31-year-old defense contractor employee was granted a security clearance despite initial concerns under Guideline F (Financial Considerations). The applicant faced allegations of five delinquent student loans exceeding $35,000 and four delinquent consumer debts over $2,900. He partially admitted to these issues, attributing them to a divorce and single parenthood.

The applicant disputed two debts, claiming identity theft for one and unfamiliarity with another. He established a payment plan for one consumer debt, with monthly payments of $50 beginning in June 2023, which favorably resolved that obligation. Additionally, three other consumer debts, totaling no more than $1,900, were favorably resolved after the applicant could not identify them as his own.

The judge found that the applicant mitigated the financial concerns by demonstrating a good faith effort to address his debts. His student loans were approved for rehabilitation, and he is on track to make payments once the federal pause concludes. Given these efforts and the extenuating circumstances, the applicant was granted eligibility for a security clearance.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant demonstrated a good faith effort to address his debts, including a repayment plan for one consumer debt.
The applicant's financial difficulties were largely attributed to extenuating circumstances, including divorce and single parenthood.
The applicant was approved for rehabilitation of his student loans and is on track to make payments after the federal pause ends.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

MC ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions Largely Beyond the Person's Control
MC ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Debts

Key Rule Quoted

“Eligibility for access to classified information may only be granted "upon a finding that it is clearly consistent with the national interest to do so."”
— Exec. Or. 10865

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedNov 10, 2022
Answer filed—
Hearing heldJun 23, 2023via Microsoft Teams
Decision dateSep 11, 2023

Cite For

Mitigating Financial Concerns Under Guideline F Due to Extenuating Circumstances
Good Faith Efforts in Addressing Delinquent Debts
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: granted

The judge found that the applicant's financial considerations raised under Guideline F were fully mitigated. Despite the applicant having several delinquent debts, he provided evidence of a payment plan and demonstrated financial responsibility, leading to a favorable decision for the applicant.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant allegedly accumulated five delinquent DoE student loan debts exceeding $35,000 and four delinquent consumer debts exceeding $2,900. $35,000	For Applicant	Student Loan Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.f	Applicant continues to dispute two of the debts, claiming identification theft with respect to SOR 1.f and a lack of familiarity with the debt covered by SOR 1.g. $639	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Denied	—	—	Claimed Debt Disputed with Creditor
1.g	Applicant has a documented payment plan with SOR 1.h that calls for monthly payments of $50 a month beginning in June 2023. $1,052	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Unknown	—	(g) arrangements made with the tax authority; in compliance	Documented Payment Plan with Creditor
1.h	Applicant's remaining four SOR-listed debts (all consumer-related) exceeding $2,900 have not all been resolved, but one of them (SOR 1.h) is covered by a repayment plan and is favorably resolved. $2,900	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Unknown	—	—	—
1.i	Applicant could not identify the remaining three consumer debts as debts belonging to him, totaling no more than $1,900, which are favorably resolved. $1,900	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Denied	—	—	—

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.