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ISCR Case 25-00231 — CASE

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ISCR Case 25-00231

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

Case Profile
Decision Date12/10/2025
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Darlene Lokey Anderson
Government Counsel: John B. Renehan
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 34-year-old Robotics Operator seeking a security clearance in connection with his employment with a defense contractor. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing concerns under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) and Guideline J (Criminal Conduct). The SOR alleged that the applicant had seventeen delinquent accounts totaling approximately $33,000 and had been charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in July 2023.
The applicant admitted to all debts listed in the SOR, explaining that his financial difficulties began after the end of a long-term relationship in July 2020, which left him solely responsible for the bills. He had attempted to manage his debts through a debt consolidation company, which later became unresponsive. After receiving the SOR, he engaged a new debt consolidation firm and planned to make monthly payments to resolve his debts. Regarding the DUI charge, the applicant acknowledged his mistake and stated he had since adjusted his drinking habits and complied with all court requirements.
The administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that the financial issues and the DUI conviction raised significant concerns about his judgment and reliability. The judge noted that while the applicant had taken steps to address his financial situation, the ongoing delinquent debts and the recent criminal conduct indicated a lack of self-control and poor judgment, which were incompatible with the responsibilities associated with access to classified information.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
- Guideline JCriminal Conduct · For Applicant
Similar decisions
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00231

grantedDec 10, 2025· Hon. Darlene Lokey Anderson· hearing

Summary

A 34-year-old Robotics Operator sought a security clearance, facing allegations under Guideline F (Financial Considerations) and Guideline J (Criminal Conduct). The applicant admitted to approximately $33,000 in delinquent debts across multiple accounts, including a personal loan for a boat, a veterinary bill, and numerous credit card balances. These debts ranged from approximately $9,006 to $309, with one credit card debt having an unspecified amount. Additionally, the applicant was charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in approximately July 2023, with a BAC between .15 and .19.

Despite these issues, the judge found that the applicant made a good-faith effort to resolve his financial obligations through a new debt consolidation plan. The applicant's financial situation had improved, leaving him with discretionary funds after expenses.

Regarding the criminal conduct, the DUI was considered an isolated incident, and the applicant demonstrated rehabilitation and compliance with court requirements. Based on these mitigating factors, the security clearance was GRANTED.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant demonstrated a good-faith effort to resolve his debts through a new debt consolidation plan.
The applicant's DUI was an isolated incident, and he has shown evidence of rehabilitation and compliance with court requirements.
The applicant's financial situation has improved, and he has discretionary funds remaining after expenses.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

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

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(a)rejectedBehavior Happened so Long Ago or Under Circumstances Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 20(b)appliedConditions Resulting in Financial Problems Were Largely Beyond the Person's Control
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedInitiated and Is Adhering to a Good-faith Effort to Repay Overdue Creditors
AG ¶ 31(a)appliedTime Elapsed Since Criminal Behavior Unlikely to Recur
AG ¶ 31(d)appliedEvidence of Successful Rehabilitation

Key Rule Quoted

“The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedMay 20, 2025
Answer filed—Date uncertain
Hearing heldSep 2, 2025
Decision dateDec 10, 2025Decision delayed due to federal government shutdown.

Cite For

Good-faith Efforts to Resolve Financial Issues Under Guideline F
Rehabilitation From Criminal Conduct Under Guideline J
Whole-person Concept in Security Clearance Evaluations

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 applicant has seventeen delinquent accounts totaling approximately $33,000, which include several credit cards and personal loans. The judge concluded that the applicant mitigated the financial concerns raised under Guideline F, resulting in a favorable decision for the applicant.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶19)	Mitigating applied (¶20)	Mitigation
1.a	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $9,006.00. This was a personal loan that Applicant used to purchase a boat in 2019. The loan was part of the consolidation program with the credit repair company. Applicant has not paid back the loan. Applicant sold the boat last year. The debt remains outstanding. $9,006	For Applicant	Personal Loan Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.b	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was placed for collection in the approximate amount of $5,465. This is a veterinary bill incurred during his relationship with his fiancé. The debt remains owing. $5,465	For Applicant	Unspecified Financial	Admitted	—	—	—
1.c	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $3,791. This was a credit card. The debt remains owing. $3,791	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.d	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $2,318. This was a credit card. The debt remains owing. $2,318	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.e	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $1,812. This was a credit card. The debt remains owing. $1,812	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.f	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was placed for collection in the approximate amount of $1,697. This was a credit card Applicant opened between 2017 and 2019. The debt remains owing. $1,697	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.g	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $1,663. This was a department store credit card opened in 2019. The debt remains owing. $1,663	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.h	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $1,399. This was a credit card, he stated that he probably opened in 2018 or 2019. The debt remains owing. $1,399	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.i	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $1,148. This was a credit card. The debt remains owing. $1,148	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.j	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $1,105. This was a credit card that he opened in 2020 and used for travel points. The debt remains open. $1,105	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.k	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $1,015. This was a credit card. The debt remains owing. $1,015	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.l	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $857. This was a credit card account that Applicant believes was closed by the credit repair company but he is not sure. $857	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.m	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was placed for collection in the approximate amount of $758. This was a credit card account opened in 2018 or 2019. The debt remains owing. $758	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.n	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $466. This was a credit card account that was closed. $466	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.o	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $458. This was a credit card account. The debt remains owing. $458	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.p	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off in the approximate amount of $309. This was a credit card account opened in 2018 or 2019. The debt remains owing. $309	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—
1.q	A delinquent debt is owed to a creditor for an account that was charged off. This was a credit card opened in 2018 or 2019. The debt remains owing.	For Applicant	Credit Card Debt	Admitted	—	—	—

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

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline J (Criminal Conduct) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found in favor of the applicant regarding the criminal conduct allegation of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) with a BAC of between .15 and .19. The applicant admitted to the offense but demonstrated mitigation through acknowledgment of the issue and changes in behavior, leading to a granted decision.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Offense	Criminal disposition	Response	Disqualifying (¶31)	Mitigating applied (¶32)	Mitigation
2.a	Applicant was arrested in about July 2023, and charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) with a BAC of between .15 and .19 and related charges.	For Applicant	DUI or DWI Criminal	Charged Not Convicted	Admitted	—	(a) so much time has passed, or unusual circumstances, that it is unlikely to recur (b) pressured/coerced and unlikely to recur absent that pressure	—

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

Full decision

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