Evidence respecting handwriting may be given by comparisons made, by experts or by the jury, with writing of the same person which is proved to be genuine.
§ 25-1220.Handwriting; proof by comparison; experts; jury.
Article 12: Evidence and Witnesses · Not amended since original codification · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceThis section allows handwriting to be proved by comparing a disputed writing against a known, genuine writing from the same person, letting either an expert witness or the jury make that comparison.
Full Text of § 25-1220
Source
R.S.1867, Code § 344, p. 451; R.S.1913, § 7912; C.S.1922, § 8854; C.S.1929, § 20-1220; R.S.1943, § 25-1220.
Plain-English Summary
Proving that a particular person wrote a disputed document often comes down to comparing samples. Section 25-1220 authorizes exactly that approach: evidence about handwriting may be given by comparisons made, by experts or by the jury, with writing of the same person that is proved to be genuine.
Two features stand out. First, the comparison requires a genuine sample — a writing already proved to be authentic — as the baseline against which the disputed writing gets measured. Second, the section does not limit the comparison to expert handwriting analysts; it lets the jury itself make the comparison, drawing its own conclusions from placing the two writings side by side.
This section complements section 25-1222’s treatment of private writings generally. Where that section addresses how a private writing gets into evidence in the first place, this section addresses one specific method — comparison of handwriting samples — for proving who wrote a particular document once a genuine exemplar is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a party prove who wrote a disputed document in a Nebraska civil case?
Section 25-1220 allows proof by comparing the disputed writing with a writing of the same person already proved to be genuine, an approach handwriting comparison relies on directly.
Does an expert have to make the handwriting comparison?
No. The section allows the comparison to be made by experts or by the jury, so the jury can draw its own conclusions from examining the writings side by side.
What has to be true about the sample writing used for comparison?
It has to be proved genuine — a writing already established as authentically from the person in question — before it can serve as the baseline for comparison.
Does this section apply to signatures as well as longer handwritten passages?
The section addresses handwriting generally, which covers signatures and any other handwritten material where comparison against a genuine sample can shed light on authorship.
How does this section relate to proving a private writing under section 25-1222?
Section 25-1222 governs how a private writing may be read into evidence. This section supplies one method, comparison of handwriting, for proving that a particular person authored a disputed writing.
Source & verification. Section text and the amendment-history citation are
reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Legislature, Revisor of Statutes, enacted by the
Nebraska Legislature. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: handwriting comparison evidence nebraskaproving authorship of a documentexpert handwriting analysis civil casejury compares writing samplesgenuine writing sample comparison