Forensic Handwriting Analysis: Typical Mistakes at the Appointment Stage and Ways for Their Prevention

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32353/khrife.1.2026.14

Keywords:

forensic science; forensic handwriting analysis; samples for comparative research; preparation for appointment of forensic examination; formulation of questions to forensic expert; forensic expert conclusion; typical mistakes of forensic expert

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the issues associated with definition of expert tasks and preparing materials for forensic handwriting examination as one of the most popular types of forensic research in legal proceedings. Research relevance due to significance of written documents as evidence and prevalence of cases of improper preparation of materials, incorrect formulation of questions to be resolved that significantly limits possibilities of expert examination of handwriting material or makes impossible to provide categorical conclusions. The purpose of this article is to analyze typical errors that arise at the stage of assigning forensic handwriting examination, and to provide recommendations on ways to increase the effectiveness of the use of this type of expert examination in the process of proving. The methodological basis of the research includes general scientific and special research methods: analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, formal-logical, system-structural and comparative-legal approaches, as well as a method of generalizing investigative and expert practice. Requirements for the materials provided to a forensic expert have been systematized, scope of competence of a handwriting expert has been clarified, the need to use original documents as objects of research has been substantiated, and the issue of selecting free, conditionally free and experimental samples of handwriting and signature has been considered in detail. The scientific novelty of the research lies in comprehensive presentation of the relationship between the quality of preparation of materials and the evidentiary value of forensic expert conclusion, as well as in the formulation of practically oriented recommendations for ensuring the sufficiency, representativeness and informativeness of comparative materials. Practical significance of the study lies in the application of its conclusions and recommendations by investigators, prosecutors, lawyers and judges in order to optimize establishment of factual circumstances in judicial proceedings and prevent errors at the stage of involving forensic handwriting expert.

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Published

2026-04-16

How to Cite

Alieksieichuk, V., Demydova, Y., Barash, L., & Tamosiunaitе R. (2026). Forensic Handwriting Analysis: Typical Mistakes at the Appointment Stage and Ways for Their Prevention. Theory and Practice of Forensic Science and Criminalistics, 42(1), 186–202. https://doi.org/10.32353/khrife.1.2026.14