The FBI fingerprint results or court records often reflect the final disposition of a charge as “adjudication withheld”. So what exactly does that mean for an adjudicator? For the purposes of making an adjudicative determine on a background investigation, it means the individual as adjudged to be found guilty of the offense and was put on probation status upon which if successfully completed the court could dismiss the charge. Remember, we consider the original conduct that led to the charge, and if there was enough evidence that the conduct occurred to withhold adjudication, then it should be a part of your issue analysis. Adjudicators should follow the guidelines in the Adjudicative Desk Reference for National Security investigations or 5 CFR 731 for Suitability cases.