Clarity, cooperation and compromise are key parts of the relationship between corporate compliance monitors and the companies they watch. But when the parameters of those relationships are ill-defined, the give and take can get lopsided, according to compliance experts.

The issue of flawed company-monitor relationships came up last week, when a federal judge in Miami raised concerns about Carnival Corp.’s compliance monitor not having enough power to spur systemic change at the cruise line. The company was in court April 10 for allegedly continuing to dump pollutants at sea in violation of an earlier probation agreement.