What is a handwriting expert / document examiner?
Document examination and handwriting identification is a discriminatory process that derives from the comparison of writing habits and evaluates the significance of their similarities and differences. A person performing this discipline is referred to as a forensic document examiner or sometimes can be called a handwriting expert.
What is the difference between document examination and graphology?
Graphology is the study of determining personality traits from the handwriting and establishing a psychological profile based on the formation of the letters and position of the writing on the page. Document examination does not involve the personality characteristics of a writer, only whether a specific writer is the author of the writing or document that is in question. They both study handwriting but each have a different focus, each are different disciplines and therefore require different forms of training to acquire competency in each. Just because someone is a graphologist does not mean they are qualified to perform forensic document examination.
What is a forgery?
A forgery is an imitation or alteration of a document, handwriting or signature, being represented as being an original, with intent to defraud.
Can I just fax the handwriting sample in, or must you have the originals?
Sometimes a fax is the only thing I have to examine, But the originals are better. Originals are important if I am to prove that my opinion is correct in a court of law. There are things that the originals can reveal to me that I simply will not get from a Xerox copy or fax. For both our protection, I also require all interested parties to sign a Chain of Custody form when originals are involved.
Will this opinion be accepted in a court of law?
The first thing an expert witness is required to do is qualify in a court of law by decision of the judge. Once an expert’s qualifications are accepted by the court, my opinion will be admissible.
What process is used in document examination / handwriting identification?
The careful and systematic use of evidence that is common to most if not all disciplines of forensic science is directed towards the identification of something unknown. This process is commonly referred to as the Law of ACE: Analysis, Comparison, and Evaluation. When any two writings possess a combination of similar and independent characteristics, corresponding in relationship to each other, of such frequency and significance as to preclude the possibility of coincidence, it may be concluded that they are the same in nature or are related to a common source. Some noted and respected authorities have said that there are 21 elements of writing that can be involved in the identification process.
What makes document examination / handwriting identification possible?
Handwriting is brain writing. No two people write exactly the same. Handwriting identification is based on two accepted principals (habituation and the individuality of the writing) and a corollary to one (discriminative reliability of the identification process).
Portions of the answers on this page have been quoted from “Handwriting Identification: Facts and Fundamentals” by Roy Huber and A. M. Headrick; and various Forensic Evidence journals.
