illegal drug involvement
DOHA Appeals Involving Marijuana Use are on the Rise
Recently, I have noticed the number of appeals submitted to the Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA) where security clearance eligibility was denied based on marijuana use. It seems many applicants think because it is legal in their state or because it has been federally decriminalized, it is not
Clearance Holder Uses Marijuana to Save Marriage
I was reading through the transcript of a recent Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Hearing and Appeals case and was astounded when I came to the part about why this DOE contractor used marijuana while possessing a security clearance, and then lied about it. In 2017 the contractor underwent
Contractor Overcomes Drug Use and Lack of Candor to Keep Clearance
Many on this forum ask how long is long enough after the last use of illegal drugs. There is no set timeline for adjudicators to use. It depends on several factors: circumstances; age; type; recency; and probability of reoccurrence. A recent Defense Office of Hearing and Appeals (DOHA) case involved
Ignorance of Laws or Rules is No Excuse
In the national security world, ignorance or mistake of law is generally not an excuse for failing to abide by legal obligations. This opinion has been established long ago by appeals board judges in upholding security clearance denials. There are various adjudicative guidelines where claiming ignorance of the rules or