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ISCR Case 25-00958 — CASE

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ISCR Case 25-00958

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

Case Profile
Decision Date2/12/2026
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Participants
Judge: Mark W. Harvey
Government Counsel: Karen A. Moreno-Sayles
Applicant's Counsel: Daniel P. Meyer
Case Summary
the marijuana use were consistent with the allegations in the Statement of Reasons (SOR). The applicant, a 44-year-old building automation systems engineer, faced security concerns under Guidelines F (financial considerations), H (drug involvement and substance misuse), and E (personal conduct). The SOR detailed his significant delinquent debts and his history of marijuana use while holding a security clearance, including an arrest in February 2023 for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
The applicant admitted to most of the allegations in the SOR, acknowledging his financial difficulties stemming from a job loss and subsequent reduced income. He provided explanations for his debts, including a loan from his employer to address some of them. While he demonstrated efforts to mitigate his financial issues, he also admitted to using marijuana during the period in question, which he claimed was a response to personal stress. He expressed a commitment to abstaining from drug use in the future, citing the impact on his family and career.
The administrative judge ruled that the financial concerns were mitigated due to the applicant's proactive steps to address his debts and his current stable employment. However, the judge found that the drug involvement and substance misuse concerns were not mitigated, as the applicant's history of marijuana use while holding a security clearance raised significant national security risks. Consequently, the applicant's eligibility for access to classified information was denied.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline EPersonal Conduct · For Applicant
- Guideline FFinancial Considerations · For Applicant
- Guideline HDrug Involvement & Substance Misuse · Against Applicant
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Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 25-00958

deniedFeb 12, 2026· Hon. Mark W. Harvey· hearing

Summary

A 44-year-old building automation systems engineer was denied a security clearance due to concerns under Guideline E (Personal Conduct), Guideline F (Financial Considerations), and Guideline H (Drug Involvement). The applicant admitted to most allegations, but the judge ultimately found that the applicant's drug involvement, specifically while holding a security clearance, was not sufficiently mitigated.

Disqualifying conditions were raised regarding personal conduct and drug involvement, including a positive drug test and arrest for marijuana possession. While the judge applied several mitigating conditions related to financial concerns, these were not enough to overcome the significant security risks posed by the applicant's drug use.

The denial was primarily based on the applicant's unmitigated drug involvement, which included using drugs while already holding a security clearance, and a subsequent arrest for marijuana possession. The applicant failed to demonstrate sufficient rehabilitation concerning drug use, leading to the final decision to deny the security clearance.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

Financial concerns were mitigated due to recent efforts to resolve debts.
The applicant refuted personal conduct allegations related to honesty and transparency.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 25(a)appliedSubstance Misuse
AG ¶ 25(b)appliedTesting Positive for an Illegal Drug
AG ¶ 25(f)appliedIllegal Drug Use While Holding a Security Clearance

Mitigating

AG ¶ 20(a)rejectedBehavior Infrequent or Unlikely to RecurThe applicant's drug use occurred while holding a security clearance.
AG ¶ 20(b)rejectedConditions Beyond ControlThe applicant's drug use was not due to circumstances beyond his control.
AG ¶ 20(c)appliedFinancial Counseling Received
AG ¶ 20(d)appliedGood-faith Effort to Repay Debts

Key Rule Quoted

“Eligibility for a security clearance is predicated upon the applicant meeting the criteria contained in the adjudicative guidelines.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedAug 19, 2025
Answer filedSep 4, 2025
Hearing heldJan 12, 2026via Microsoft Teams
Decision dateFeb 12, 2026

Cite For

Mitigation of Financial Concerns Under Guideline F
Disqualifying Conditions Related to Drug Involvement Under Guideline H
Refutation of Personal Conduct Allegations Under Guideline E

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Full decision

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