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Accepted a district court clerkship, and the acceptance letter said that about 6 months before my start date I would start the background check process. My question is specifically about drugs. Are clerkship background checks like other government jobs where they ask if you've taken any illegal drugs within the past X years?

No, they don't ask about drugs. It's just like an average job application - in the past 10 years have you been convicted of a crime, court-martialed, or fired, are you currently pending charges, and are you delinquent on a federal debt. Not rigorous.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:No, they don't ask about drugs. It's just like an average job application - in the past 10 years have you been convicted of a crime, court-martialed, or fired, are you currently pending charges, and are you delinquent on a federal debt. Not rigorous.

This. Atleast in my district.

I've never heard of any judge ask about drug use, much less tested for it. I think there are TLS rumors that some COAs will do more thorough background checks that include drug use if they have sensitive pending cases. I think I remember reading that the DC Cir did really thorough checks when they had pending terrorism and Gitmo cases...or something.

whatcha smoking braj

Alright, thanks all. It's D.D.C., if that matters at all, though not a FISC judge.

Would clerkships or federal jobs ask/investigate about college disciplinary matters? In addition, do they ask if you've taken any illegal drugs within the past X years? I'm interested in EOIR.

I think EOIR is the "national trust" (or whatever it's called) background check, which does ask for drug use in the last 7 years. I don't think it asks about educational discipline, just employment-related.

Clerkships just do an employment application asking standard employment stuff, not a background check. EOIR and other DOJ gigs do an actual background check.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:I think EOIR is the "national trust" (or whatever it's called) background check, which does ask for drug use in the last 7 years. I don't think it asks about educational discipline, just employment-related.

Clerkships just do an employment application asking standard employment stuff, not a background check. EOIR and other DOJ gigs do an actual background check.

Will MJ use in the past 7 years be a bar for EOIR?

I doubt it, unless it was extensive and recently.