Inspection of Documents Detailing the Mechanism of Unlawful Conduct by Professional Participants in Proceedings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32353/khrife.1.2026.08Keywords:
: justice; investigative (search) action; inspection; document; electronic document; investigative tacticsAbstract
The Article Purpose is to determine particularities of inspecting and analysing paper and electronic documents as sources of information about the mechanism of unlawful conduct by professional participants in proceedings during the investigation of criminal offenses against justice. To meet this goal, a variety of general scientific, special legal, and philosophical methods have been employed, which made sure there was a systematic approach to studying documents as carriers of evidence in the context of proceedings digitalisation. It has been substantiated that inspection of documents is derivative and objective in nature and is carried out within the framework of a uniform legal procedure for inspection stipulated by Art. 237 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. The paper determines permissible sources of document origin that may be subjected to inspection: voluntary provision by participants in proceedings, temporary access to documents, and seizure during searches. The last one is the most common method of obtaining access to and seizing documents in cases of this category. A classification system for typical objects of inspection (procedural documents of the prosecution, documents relating to the exercise of the right to defence, materials and digital records of automated systems, restricted-access official documents, internal official correspondence, and other organizational and administrative materials) has been discussed. It has been generalized that documents can be either forged (containing signs of material or intellectual forgery) or formally authentic without external signs of falsification, but unlawful in terms of content or functional purpose within the mechanism of abuse. Emphasis is placed on particularities of inspecting electronic documents and computer data: the need to engage a specialist, record metadata and event logs, ensure consistency in digital information, and properly document results in line with procedural requirements. Research findings will be of practical use in refining tactical recommendations for document inspection and enhancing a proof procedure in criminal proceedings concerning crimes against justice committed by professional participants in proceedings.
References
Avdeeva, G. (2025). Technological breakthrough in criminalistics and forensic examination: new horizons. Archive of Criminology and Forensic Sciences. Vol. 11. No. 1. DOI: 10.32353/ acfs.11.2025.06.
Kovalenko, A. V. (2023). Orhanizatsiia i taktyka provedennia ohliadu komp’iuternykh danykh [Organization and tactics of computer data inspection]. Naukovyi visnyk Khersonskoho derzhavnoho universytetu. Seriia «Iurydychni nauky». № 4. DOI: 10.32999/ KSU2307-8049/2023-4-9 [in Ukrainian].
Kovalenko, A. V. (2024). Kryminalistychne vchennia pro zbyrannia, doslidzhennia ta vykorystannia dokaziv u kryminalnomu provadzhenni [Criminalistic doctrine on the collection, examination, and use of evidence in criminal proceedings] : monohrafiia. Kyiv. URI: https://rep.dnuvs.ukr.education/handle/123456789/3916 [in Ukrainian].
Lysenko, V. V. (2023). Problemy praktyky vyluchennia orhanamy dosudovoho rozsliduvannia rechei i dokumentiv u sub’iektiv hospodariuvannia [Problems of the practice of seizure of things and documents from business entitiesby pre-trial investigation authorities]. Visnyk Luhanskoho navchalnonaukovoho instytutu imeni E. O. Didorenka. Vyp. 1 (101). DOI: 10.33766/2524- 0323.101.269-287 [in Ukrainian].
Shcherbakovskyi, M., Sezonov, V. (2024). Collection and research on electronic documents using specific expertise. Theory and Practice of Forensic Science and Criminalistics. Is. 3 (36). DOI: 10.32353/khrife.3.2024.02. Shepitko, V.,
Shepitko, M. (2021). Doktryna kryminalistyky ta sudovoi ekspertyzy: formuvannia, suchasnyi stan i rozvytok v Ukraini [Doctrine of criminalistics and forensic examination: formation, current state and development in Ukraine]. Pravo Ukrainy. № 8. DOI: 10.33498/louu2021-08-012 [in Ukrainian].
Shevchuk, V. M. (2022). Yevropeiskyi vektor rozvytku suchasnoi kryminalistyky [The European vector of modern criminalistics development]. Adaptatsiia pravovoi systemy Ukrainy do prava Yevropeiskoho soiuzu: teoretychni ta praktychni aspekty : mat-ly VI Vseukr. nauk.-prakt. konf. (Poltava, 29.09.2022). Poltava [in Ukrainian].
Smal, I. V. (2007). Metodyka rozsliduvannia pidroblennia proiznykh kvytkiv [Methodology for investigating forgery of travel tickets] : dys. … kand. yuryd. nauk. Donetsk [in Ukrainian].
Stepaniuk, R. L., Husieva, V. O., Kikinchuk, V. V. ta in. (2023). Kryminalistyka: kryminalistychna tekhnika [Criminalistics: forensic technology] : navch. posib. Kharkiv. URI: https://dspace.univd.edu.ua/ handle/123456789/16118 [in Ukrainian].
Stepaniuk, R. L., Perlin, S. I. (2022). Tsyfrova kryminalistyka y udoskonalennia systemy kryminalistychnoi tekhniky v Ukraini [Digital forensics and improvement of the forensic technology system in Ukraine]. Visnyk Luhanskoho derzhavnoho universytetu vnutrishnikh sprav imeni E. O. Didorenka. Vyp. 3 (99). DOI: 10.33766/2524-0323.99.283- 284 [in Ukrainian].
