This is a list that gives a little bit of insight into how I break down and read a Forensic Horary chart.
Rules I often Break (strictures)

The first step is to see if the chart is radical (fit to be read). Old school astrologers typically followed these rules. I rarely follow them all. Why you might ask? Well, we are living in New times. It’s not the 1645 and things have changed. 

Don’t get me wrong I respect the forefathers of Astrology, but I don’t agree with everything they did. I find it no different than veering away from the ten commandments. Sure those commandments were brought to us for good reason. Let’s face it though, it’s not the worst thing to covett and it doesn’t make you bad, or wrong to covett a Corvette belonging to your neighbor (or an ox I suppose). Moving on I will cover the strictures and discuss the ones I sometimes consider.

Make Sure the Question Personal: 

A question lacking Personal standing might not give results. For example: the nosey lady in apartment 3b shows up at your door. She wants to ask the question, “will my neighbor get married?”, and of course she doesn’t want to pay. If she is concerned about such questions for reasons that are Personal you can proceed, it is a valid question. if the situation doesn’t impact her then a chart may not answer her.

An Early Ascendent: 

Is the Ascendent rising at 3° or more? If not the question is not ready to be answered yet. The situation is not fully formed and therefore the out come can’t be determined. It could be possible the client is trying to get you to answer a false inquiry. However, this stricture could show a very new situation and a chart could be fit when answering something pertaining to a new venture.

Moon Via Combusta (15 ♎ to 15 ♏) 

I completely ignore this in Forensic Horary Charts. I rarely see a chart with out a significator or the Moon hanging around in the burned path. I’m not surprised that this stricture is around though. This probably is a stricture because all the fixed stars that live in Libra and Scorpio are considered unfortunate.

Is the moon or significator void of course? 

A void of course Moon or planet, according to William Lily, occurs when there is no applying major aspects. Modern Horary astrologers have a different description of void of course. I follow Lily’s stricture though. it’s easier to understand (in my opinion) for beginning Astrology students to follow Lily’s idea. So I will leave it at that and not bring up the more complicated aspects of void of course.

Where is Nefarious Saturn? If he is skulking around in the 7th you might misjudge the Chart. Ivy states in her book, “Simplified Horary Astrology” that, “Saturn in First house or seventh ruins the question”, and William Lily agrees. Often I will avoid reading a Horary Chart if I see Saturn conjunct the 7th house cusp, however, I feel conflicted about this stricture when I read Forensic Horary Charts. I believe finding Saturn in the seventh or first is appropriate when dealing with missing or deceased people. I always do mention this stricture and the fact it might impede clear judgement on my part. This stricture rarely succeeds in proving a Forensic Horary Chart wrong from what I have seen so far. 

Is the Ascendent rising in late degrees? 

An Ascendant rising after 27° means it’s too late, the answer or event is already set in stone. Maybe the client knows the answer already. A good example of this is the event Chart of Mandy Stavick. Rising too late, it shows she has already passed. Nothing can be done at the time to change that outcome. 

What Day and Time is it? 

I like taking the Lord of the hour and day into consideration. Although some astrologers believe that the Ascendent must be ruled by the Lord of the hour or in some way represent the question or quested I think it gives a good over view of the energy likely at play in a Chart. Is it the day of Saturn? It might show some worrying about responsibility, something weighing heavily on someone’s shoulders or so forth. Is it the hour of Mars? If so the combination of the hour and day could show arguments or physical confrontations. The aspects between planets and house cusps will show more information.

Check for fixed Stars, critical degrees, and the mythology behind the stars.
Are the planets at critical degrees? The critical degrees are 0, 12 and 25 of the Cardinals. 8 and 21 of the fixed, 4 and 17 of the mutable signs. Personally I will often only use 0 and 29 to represent crisis​ points. there’s usually enough negative stuff in a Forensic Chart to know what is going on with out them. The fixed Stars can sound pretty scary in readings. I like to use them. I look deep into their mythology. I try to determine how those stories might apply to the aspects of the planets and their placements. sometimes they will fall in line so well that I get creeped out. 

Which house and planets rule the question? 

When asking about lost belongings we often check the cusp of the second house and planetary ruler of the sign. it’s important to consider the object though. If it’s​a book we look at the cusp of the third house, because the third house rules books. we would look at where the planetary ruler of the sign on the cusp and where it is. In the 12th house it may be hidden well, in Scorpio the book could be hidden in the trash, or gone for good. I also would check the planet Mercury and see what he is up to sense he rules books. 

Aspects in my opinion are most telling. It can tell us about what interaction between people (represented by the planets) is like. A conjunction shows two people are together, an opposition shows separation. A square may show stress or arguments. The aspects are the most important in my opinion.

If this part seems vague then ask me to clarify. I will answer.