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ISCR Case 25-00146 — CASE

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ISCR Case 25-00146

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

Case Profile
Decision Date2/2/2026
Statusgranted
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Applicant Representation: Pro Se
Judge: Roger C. Wesley
Government Counsel: Cynthia Ruckno
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 35-year-old employee of a defense contractor seeking a security clearance. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing concerns under the drug involvement and substance misuse guideline, alleging that the applicant had used marijuana on multiple occasions from May 2008 to May 2022, including while holding a sensitive position. Additionally, the applicant was accused of falsifying information on an Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) by denying any drug use within the past seven years.
During the proceedings, the applicant admitted to the drug use allegations but provided explanations and mitigating information, including a self-referral to a substance abuse counselor, who found no current substance use disorder. The applicant denied any intent to falsify information on the e-QIP, asserting that her omissions were not deliberate. She demonstrated a commitment to abstaining from drug use and received positive endorsements from colleagues regarding her reliability and trustworthiness.
The administrative judge ruled in favor of the applicant, granting eligibility for access to classified information. The judge concluded that the applicant had successfully mitigated the concerns regarding drug involvement and personal conduct, noting her proactive steps toward rehabilitation and the absence of any current substance use disorder. The judge emphasized the importance of evaluating the applicant's overall character and conduct, which indicated a low risk for future substance misuse.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline EPersonal Conduct · For Applicant
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · For Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00146

grantedFeb 2, 2026· Hon. Roger C. Wesley· hearing

Summary

A 35-year-old program analyst for a defense contractor was granted a security clearance despite concerns under Guideline E (Personal Conduct) and Guideline H (Drug Involvement). The applicant admitted to using marijuana on various occasions from approximately May 2008 to May 2022, including while holding a sensitive position. Additionally, she acknowledged falsifying material facts on an e-QIP completed in October 2017.

However, the Administrative Judge found that mitigating factors outweighed these disqualifying conditions. The applicant demonstrated a commitment to abstinence from illegal drugs since May 2022. She proactively sought help by self-referring to a licensed substance abuse counselor, who provided a favorable evaluation.

Crucially, the applicant was candid about her past drug use in subsequent e-QIP submissions and during personal subject interviews. The Administrative Judge concluded that her past conduct did not undermine her overall trustworthiness and reliability, leading to the decision to grant eligibility for access to classified information.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant demonstrated a commitment to abstinence from illegal drugs since May 2022.
She self-referred to a licensed substance abuse counselor and received a favorable evaluation.
The applicant was candid about her past drug use in subsequent e-QIPs and personal subject interviews.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

DC ¶ 25(a)raisedAny Substance Misuse
DC ¶ 25(c)raisedIllegal Possession of a Controlled Substance
DC ¶ 25(f)raisedIllegal Drug Use While Holding a Sensitive Position

Mitigating

MC ¶ 26(a)appliedBehavior Happened so Long Ago or Was Infrequent
MC ¶ 26(b)appliedAcknowledgment of Drug Involvement and Evidence of Actions Taken to Overcome the Problem

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, Safeguarding Classified Information within Industry § 2 (Feb. 20, 1960)

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedApr 30, 2025
Answer filedJun 24, 2025
Hearing heldDec 10, 2025rescheduled from October 14, 2025
Decision dateFeb 2, 2026

Cite For

Mitigation of Drug Involvement Under Guideline H
Mitigation of Personal Conduct Concerns Under Guideline E
Importance of Demonstrating Rehabilitation and Commitment to Abstinence

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 E (Personal Conduct) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant's personal conduct concerns related to falsifying material facts on the e-QIP were not established. The applicant admitted to substance misuse allegations but denied any deliberate attempt to falsify information. The judge concluded that the applicant's explanations reflected credible understandings of the circumstances surrounding her omissions, and no inferences of knowing and willful falsification were warranted. Overall, the applicant demonstrated sufficient evidence of trustworthiness and reliability, leading to a favorable decision.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Conduct	Concealed Issue	Response	Disqualifying (¶16)	Mitigating applied (¶17)	Mitigation
2.a	falsified material facts on the e-QIP completed in October 2017	For Applicant	Falsification Security Form	Drug Involvement	Denied	—	—	—

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

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline H (Drug Involvement) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: HearingDecided: granted

The judge found that the applicant used marijuana on various occasions from May 2008 to May 2022 and while holding a sensitive position. However, the judge concluded that the applicant's drug involvement and substance misuse concerns were mitigated, leading to a decision to grant eligibility for access to classified information.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Substance / event	Use level	Response	Disqualifying (¶25)	Mitigating applied (¶26)	Mitigation
1.a	used marijuana on various occasions from about May 2008 to about May 2022	For Applicant	Marijuana	Unspecified	Admitted	—	—	Documented Abstinence Period Documented Documented Rehabilitation Evidence
1.b	used marijuana while holding a sensitive position	For Applicant	MarijuanaWHILE CLEARED	Not Applicable	Admitted	—	—	Documented Abstinence Period Documented Documented Rehabilitation Evidence

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

Full decision

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