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ISCR Case 23-02859 — CASE

Case record

ISCR Case 23-02859

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

Case Profile
Decision Date11/6/2024
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Paul J. Mason
Government Counsel: Sakeena Farhath
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 33-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen seeking a security clearance for employment with a defense contractor. The Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing concerns under the financial considerations guideline (Guideline F), specifically regarding a charged-off credit card debt totaling $10,500. The applicant admitted to the debt, which he incurred while paying legal fees related to a civil lawsuit from 2013, and explained that he believed the debt was extinguished by the statute of limitations.
The applicant provided evidence of his financial situation, including a recent inheritance that allowed him to pay off the debt in April 2024, shortly after receiving the SOR. He also demonstrated that he was current on all other financial obligations. The administrative judge found that while the debt had been delinquent for several years, the applicant's actions to resolve it and his current financial management indicated a responsible approach. Ultimately, the judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting eligibility for access to classified information, concluding that the applicant had mitigated the security concerns raised by the financial considerations guideline.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 23-02859

grantedNov 6, 2024· Hon. Paul J. Mason· hearing

Summary

A 33-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen and engineer was granted a security clearance despite an admitted financial concern under Guideline F. The applicant faced a single allegation regarding a charged-off credit card debt of $10,500, which was incurred for legal fees. This issue raised disqualifying conditions related to financial irresponsibility, but the applicant's subsequent actions demonstrated mitigating factors.

The applicant admitted the debt and provided a reasonable explanation for its origin. Crucially, the debt was resolved shortly after the Statement of Reasons was issued, demonstrating a commitment to addressing financial obligations. This timely resolution, combined with evidence of responsible current financial practices, indicated good judgment.

Ultimately, the decision to grant the clearance was based on the applicant's admission, the reasonable explanation for the debt, its prompt resolution, and current responsible financial management. These factors collectively mitigated the initial financial concerns, leading to a favorable outcome.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant admitted the charged-off credit card debt and provided a reasonable explanation for its incurrence.
The debt was resolved shortly after the issuance of the Statement of Reasons, indicating responsible behavior.
The applicant's current financial practices showed that he is managing his obligations responsibly.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 19(a)raisedInability to Satisfy Debts
AG ¶ 19(b)rejectedUnwillingness to Satisfy DebtsThe applicant demonstrated willingness to satisfy the debt by paying it off.
AG ¶ 19(c)raisedHistory of Not Meeting Financial Obligations

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(a)appliedBehavior Unlikely to RecurThe debt was incurred long ago and the applicant has shown no intention to repeat this conduct.
AG ¶ 20(b)rejectedConditions Largely Beyond ControlThe financial problems were not caused by conditions beyond the applicant's control.
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay DebtsThe applicant acted responsibly by paying the debt shortly after receiving the SOR.
AG ¶ 20(c)notedFinancial Counseling

Key Rule Quoted

“Eligibility for a security clearance is granted when the applicant demonstrates good judgment in addressing financial obligations.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedMar 8, 2024
Answer filedJun 4, 2024
Hearing held—Evaluated administratively on the written record.
Decision dateNov 6, 2024

Cite For

Mitigation of Financial Considerations Under Guideline F
Good Judgment in Resolving Financial Obligations
Responsible Management of Debts Post-sor

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 applicant had a charged off credit-card debt totaling $10,500, which he admitted and explained was incurred due to legal fees. The judge found that the applicant's efforts to resolve the debt, including its payment shortly after the issuance of the Statement of Reasons, supported a favorable decision for the applicant.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant admitted the single allegation under the financial considerations guideline and provided an explanation regarding a charged off credit-card debt totaling $10,500. $10,500	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	(b) conditions largely beyond the person’s control; acted responsibly (c) received/receiving counseling; problem being resolved	Documented Debt Paid in Full

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.