Technical Examination of Documents within the Scope of Polish Evidence Law - Rafał Cieśla

Dr. Rafał Cieśla works at the Department of Forensic Science, Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics, University of Wrocław. His academic interests focus on the issue of examination of documents. In this study the author presents the issues of legał and forensic aspects of technical examination of documents, i.e. the notion and types of document, their functions in the Polish substantive, procedura! and criminal law as well as the characteristics of expert examination by discussing the notions included in their definition. The study discusses materiał structure of documents in its classical aspect, i.e. paper as the writing base and the ball-point ink, fountain pen ink, computer printer ink, etc. as the writing materiał. The author characterises the devices protecting the document against forgery and counterfeiting, research methods used in technical examination of documents as well as the currently used methods of dating the documents and their efficiency. The study presents the results of examination of documents with non-damaging methods, i.e. the methods which enable to re-apply the examination procedures in relation to the same evidence. The issues discussed in this study arę of paramount importance in forensic science and law, as they arę crucial in determining authenticity of a document. The book is addressed to document experts, theoreticians of the law of evidence, lawyers, judges and prosecutors.