Montgomery County Security Clearances

Arrests can impact Montgomery County security clearances. If you have security clearance and are facing a criminal charge, you could be facing more than legal consequences. A criminal charge could affect your security clearance status. It is important to obtain a seasoned criminal attorney experienced in working with defendants with security clearance as the approach to the case may need to be different.

How a Criminal Charge Affects Security Clearance

A criminal charge or conviction can affect a person’s security clearance in Montgomery County. A security clearance is dependent on an individual’s employment, who their employer is, and the work that they do for that employer. Security clearances are not the same from one place to the other. It depends on what the individual is engaged in and what their obligations are to their employers.

There are some offenses that would have minimal to no impact on any kind of security clearance, such as a charge of driving under the influence. Although it is a very serious offense, it may have little to do with whether or not someone is trustworthy in the eyes of their employer, thereby warranting a security clearance being granted to them.

However, charges that involve crimes of moral turpitude, such as theft or fraud, actually speak to a person’s trustworthiness level. These charges could be significant and impactful toward a person’s security clearance.

Approaching Cases With Security Clearance

A defendant with a security clearance changes the way an attorney may approach the case. The attorney will work hard to get the best result on behalf of the defendant regardless of whether they have a security clearance, but security clearances do add additional elements of concern for any defense attorney who is trying to resolve a case. For example, under certain circumstances, a security clearance issue being raised in negotiations with the prosecutor might assist all parties who are trying to resolve a case by making sure that the resolution does not come to something that would necessarily impact a security clearance. There are also ways to modify charges or statements that are made in court so that the security clearance is impacted minimally.

High Standards Brought by Security Clearances

People with security clearances are held to a higher standard by their employers because those clearances give them access to certain information that not every other person has. Often, those clearances are associated with people having access to important and confidential information, such as issues of national security. For that reason, having a clearance puts someone in a position of trust, and that trust puts them in a position to being held to a standard higher than that of somebody who does not have that clearance.

How an Attorney Could Help

Having an attorney who is knowledgeable about Montgomery County security clearances is crucial in ensuring a positive resolution of the case. A well-versed attorney could look at the facts of the case and determine the best defense to protect your rights and your security clearance. Contact a defense attorney in Montgomery County today and schedule your first consultation.