USCG Administrative Law Judge Case
U.S. Coast Guard vs. Derrick Vaughan
The July 22, 2025 Default Order addressed the Coast Guard allegation summarized as: Vaughan made unwelcome verbal comments of a sexual nature to a shipmate. The case outcome is recorded as Five months outright suspension.
Disposition
Suspension
Posture
Default
Sanction
Suspension
Five months outright
Judge
Timothy Stueve
What the Record Shows
Case Summary
The Coast Guard alleged that Vaughan made unwelcome verbal comments of a sexual nature to a shipmate.
The July 22, 2025 Default Order is tied to docket 2025-0259, Enforcement Activity Number 8071842, procedural posture: Default, disposition: Suspension.
Administrative Law Judge Timothy Stueve treated the matter as a default proceeding based on the loaded order or docket metadata; the underlying conduct should therefore remain framed as Coast Guard allegations unless the order expressly states that the allegations were found proved or treated as admitted.
The docket metadata records the findings as: Suspension.
The recorded outcome or sanction is Five months outright suspension.
Based on public docket metadata and available source documents. Allegations are described as allegations, not findings of fact or admissions.
Outcome
Suspension
Sanction: Suspension
Duration: 5 months
Case Timeline
May 12, 2025
Official Coast Guard finding
The order states that the Coast Guard made an official finding that the alleged conduct constituted sexual harassment under the cited merchant mariner credential statutes.
May 19, 2025
Complaint filed
The Coast Guard filed a complaint against Vaughan.
May 20, 2025
Complaint served
The order states that the complaint was delivered to Vaughan's residence and signed for by a person of suitable age and discretion.
Jun 16, 2025
Motion for default filed
The Coast Guard filed a motion for default order after Vaughan did not file an answer.
Jun 18, 2025
Motion served
The order states that the motion for default was delivered to Vaughan's residence by Federal Express.
Jul 14, 2025
Assigned to ALJ
The Chief Administrative Law Judge assigned the matter to Judge Timothy G. Stueve.
Jul 22, 2025
Default order issued
The ALJ found Vaughan in default, found the allegations proved, and ordered a five-month outright suspension.
Case Metadata
- Docket Number
- 2025-0259
- Enforcement Activity Number
- 8071842
- Judge
- Timothy Stueve
- Source Era
- 2023–Present Docket Era
- Dispositive Order Type
- Default Order
- Allegation
- Sexual Harassment
- Source wording: The Coast Guard alleged that Vaughan made unwelcome verbal comments of a sexual nature to a shipmate.
- Alleged conduct dates: Second week of December 2022; January 27, 2023
- Authorities Cited
- 33 C.F.R. § 20.30833 C.F.R. § 20.31046 U.S.C. § 7704(c)(1)(B)46 U.S.C. § 7704a(a)18 U.S.C. § 2197
- Coast Guard Representative
- David Forrest, Sector Virginia
- Mariner / Respondent Counsel
- Derrick Vaughan, pro se
Sources, Context, and Method
What This Record Does and Does Not Show
Coast Guard suspension and revocation cases are administrative proceedings about a merchant mariner credential. They generally begin when a Coast Guard investigating officer files a complaint with the ALJ Docketing Center. Unless the case goes to a hearing and an ALJ finds the complaint allegations proved in a written decision and order, the allegations should be understood as allegations, not findings.
A settlement agreement or consent order can end the proceeding without an admission of the alleged conduct. This page therefore separates what the Coast Guard alleged from what an ALJ, Commandant appeal decision, default order, settlement order, dismissal, or other public record actually decided.
MLAA builds these pages from public Coast Guard ALJ docket data, official Coast Guard source documents, preserved docket-source proof, and available orders or decisions. We preserve source records where we can, label allegations as allegations, avoid treating docket categories as factual findings, and invite source-backed corrections when a record needs to be fixed.
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