# E-022 — A documented investigation could not close without explicit obligations

- Date: 2026-08-03
- Status: confirmed protocol signal, fixed during closing.

## Observed trajectory

Round `R-SCHEMA-FORGE-EPISODES` created E-020 and E-021, declared episode validation as its criterion, and ran the suite and the documentation guard. Criterion `AC-SCHEMA-FORGE-EPISODES` was proven.

On close, Objective Guard returned `UNKNOWN`: task type `investigation` requires explicit `evidence` and `conclusion` obligations. The contract had not associated them with any criterion, so the system did not infer that a set of paths or a documentation check were sufficient.

## Correction and limits

Both obligations were added, referencing the criterion that was already verifiable. The change adds no new evidence and does not alter E-020/E-021's conclusions; it only makes explicit that this material is both evidence and conclusion of the investigation.

The episode confirms that closing distinguishes proof of a file from the justification structure required for a task type. It does not prove that the conclusions are true beyond the available evidence.

## Follow-up

Round-start commands should allow obligations to be declared according to task type, to prevent an investigation from reaching closing with an incomplete structure.