SecurePoint USA
SecurePoint USAEnterprise Compliance
Book Demo
Back to Compliance Academy
Visitor
Trade
Education
Third-Party Monitoring
Compliance Manager
Admin

What is adjudication?

The formal review process to determine if a watchlist screening match is a true identity fit or a false positive.

Last Reviewed: 2026-05-27Plain-English reference · not legal advice

Plain-English Summary

Adjudication is the formal evaluation and decision-making process applied when a watchlist check or sanctions screen triggers a potential match. A reviewer evaluates the match details against the counterparty (visitor, vendor, donor, or transaction party) to determine if it is a true match or an innocent false positive.

Why This Matters

Watchlist screening often flags common names (false positives) that share spelling characteristics with restricted parties. Adjudication acts as the critical operational gate: qualified personnel compare identifiers (like Date of Birth, citizenship, or address) to safely clear false alarms or block restricted parties, preventing illegal transactions or unauthorized access.

Explanation Depth

Concept Explanation

Sometimes, an innocent person shares the same name as a restricted or sanctioned person on a government watchlist. Adjudication is simply the process of "doing a double-check." A manager looks at other details—like birthdates or home countries—to confirm that the visitor is not the restricted person on the list, allowing them to safely proceed.

When You'll See This in SecurePoint

In SecurePoint USA, adjudication is managed in the Adjudication Queue (/adjudication). Compliance managers review matches and select pre-configured disposition codes. True matches enforce a fail-closed posture, preventing badge printing, kiosk check-in, or transaction completion.

What You Should Do Next

Inspect the potential match side-by-side in your adjudication queue. Compare secondary identifiers such as birthdates, nationalities, and addresses. If the identifiers mismatch, document the specific reasoning (e.g., "Citizenship mismatch") and apply the appropriate disposition code to clear the case. If the identifiers align or are inconclusive, escalate the case immediately.

What Can Go Wrong

Clearing a true match (false negative) can result in severe civil and criminal penalties, regulatory investigations, and loss of operating licenses under OFAC or export control frameworks. Conversely, blocking an innocent party due to a false positive causes operational bottlenecks and potential vendor or customer disputes.

Need structured workflow compliance?

SecurePoint USA builds these checks, watchlists, approvals, and immutable logs directly into your daily operations.

What is adjudication? | Compliance Academy | SecurePoint USA | SecurePoint USA