1. Questioned document examination is a branch of forensic science that examines documents whose authenticity, authorship, or origins are disputed or questionable.
2. Questioned documents can include signatures, wills, contracts, or any document where the facts are contested. Examinations analyze handwriting, typewriting, ink, paper, and any alterations to determine facts about the document.
3. Document examiners use scientific processes and methods like microscopy, photography, and chemical analysis to study document details and elements in order to form an opinion on questions related to the document's source or production.
1. Questioned document examination is a branch of forensic science that examines documents whose authenticity, authorship, or origins are disputed or questionable.
2. Questioned documents can include signatures, wills, contracts, or any document where the facts are contested. Examinations analyze handwriting, typewriting, ink, paper, and any alterations to determine facts about the document.
3. Document examiners use scientific processes and methods like microscopy, photography, and chemical analysis to study document details and elements in order to form an opinion on questions related to the document's source or production.
1. Questioned document examination is a branch of forensic science that examines documents whose authenticity, authorship, or origins are disputed or questionable.
2. Questioned documents can include signatures, wills, contracts, or any document where the facts are contested. Examinations analyze handwriting, typewriting, ink, paper, and any alterations to determine facts about the document.
3. Document examiners use scientific processes and methods like microscopy, photography, and chemical analysis to study document details and elements in order to form an opinion on questions related to the document's source or production.
1. Questioned document examination is a branch of forensic science that examines documents whose authenticity, authorship, or origins are disputed or questionable.
2. Questioned documents can include signatures, wills, contracts, or any document where the facts are contested. Examinations analyze handwriting, typewriting, ink, paper, and any alterations to determine facts about the document.
3. Document examiners use scientific processes and methods like microscopy, photography, and chemical analysis to study document details and elements in order to form an opinion on questions related to the document's source or production.
SOLIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY
Questioned Document Examination
LESSON TWO: QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
I. In the previous lesson we defined, Questioned Document as, one in which the facts appearing therein may not be true, and are contested either in whole or part with respect to its authenticity, identity, or origin. It may be a deed, contract, will, election ballots, marriage contract, check, visas, application form, check writer, certificates, etc.
When an issue is raised or when a document is under scrunity due to its particular content such as the authenticity of the attached signature or the content as the whole, such document will be considered as Questioned Document. A suicide note found near the body of a deceased is a good example of a questioned document. In order to use such document as an evidence to proof that a foul paly might have occurred, issue regarding the authenticity and the identify of the owner of the document must be answered.
II. Provided below are the different CLASSES OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS
1. Documents with questioned signatures. 2. Questioned documents alleged to have been containing fraudulent alterations. 3. Questioned or disputed holographic wills. a. HOLOGRAPHIC WILL - will entirely written in the handwriting of the testator b. NOTARIAL WILL - signed by the testator acknowledge before a notary public with 3 witnesses. 4. Documents investigated on the question of typewriting. a. with a view of ascertaining their source b. with a view of ascertaining their date c. with a view of determining whether or not they contain fraudulent alterations or substituted pages. 5. Questioned documents on issues of their age or date. 6. Questioned documents on issues of materials used in their production. 7. Documents or writings investigated because it is alleged that they identify some persons through handwriting. a. anonymous and disputed letters, and b. Superscriptions, registrations and miscellaneous writings.
III. DOCUMENT AND QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMIANATION is an branch of Forensic Science that deals with the conduct of forensic examianition of document which are potentially disputed in a court of law. Its primary purpose is to provide evidence about a suspicious or questionable document using scientific processes and methods. Listed below are some of the terminologies that is beneficial in the discussion of this course. ADDITION - Any matter made a part of the document after its original preparation may be referred to as addition.
CONCLUSION - A scientific conclusion results form relating observed facts by logical, common-sense reasoning in accordance with established rules or laws. The document examiner's conclusion, in legal term is referred to as "opinion".
DOCUMENT EXAMINER. One who studies scientifically the details and elements of documents in order to identify their source or to discover other facts concerning them. Document examiners are often referred to as handwriting identification experts, but today the work has outgrown this latter title and involves other problems than merely the examination of handwriting.
ERASURE - The removal of writings, typewriting or printing, from a document is an erasure. It maybe accomplished by either of two means. A chemical eradication in which the writing is removed or bleached by chemical agents (e.g. liquid ink eradicator); and an abrasive erasure is where the writing is effaced by rubbing with a rubber eraser or scratching out with a knife or other sharp with implement. SOLIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-COLLEGE OF CRIMINOLOGY
EXAMINATION - It is the act of making a close and critical study of any material and with questioned documents, it is the process necessary to discover the facts about them. Various types are undertaken, including microscopic, visual photographic, chemical, ultra violet and infra-red examination.
EXPERT WITNESS. A legal term used to describe a witness who by reason of his special training or experience is permitted to express an opinion regarding the issue, or a certain aspect of the issue, which is involved in a court action. His purpose is to interpret technical information in his particular specialty in order to assist the court in administering justice. The document examiner testifies in court as an expert witness.
INSERTION OR INTERLINEATION - The term "insertion" and "interlineations" include the addition of writing and other material between lines or paragraphs or the addition of whole page to a document.
NON-IDENTITIFICATION (Non-identity) – as used in this text it means that the source or authorship of the compared questioned and standard specimens is different.
OBLITERATION - the blotting out or shearing over the writing to make the original invisible to as an addition.
OPINION. In legal language, it refers to the document Examiner's conclusion. Actually in Court, he not only expresses an opinion but demonstrates the reasons for arriving at his opinion. Throughout this text, opinion and conclusion are used synonymously.
QUALIFICATION. The professional experience, education, and ability of a document examiner. Before he is permitted to testify as an expert witness, the court must rule that he is qualified in his field.
IV. REASON FOR QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Generally, examination of questioned documents is restricted to “Scientific Comparison” which means that determination of authenticity, genuineness, falsification or forgery lies on the availability of known standards for comparison. After thorough comparison, the following principle of identification is applied: “When two items contain a combination of corresponding or similar and specifically oriented characteristic of such number and significance as to preclude the possibility of their occurrence by mere coincidence and there are no unaccounted for differences, it may be concluded that they are same in their characteristics attributed to the same cause.”
V. DIVISIONS OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
In the practice of Questioned Document Examination, the entire sceince is divided into two major division: A. Criminalistics Examination. This involves the detection of forgery, erasure, alteration or obliteration of documents.
Dr. Wilson Harrison, a noted British Examiner of questioned documents said that an intelligent police investigator can detect almost 75% of all forgeries by careful inspection of a document with simple magnifiers and measuring tools.
B. Handwriting Investigation/Analysis. This is more focused in determining the author of writing. It is more difficult procedure and requires long study and experience.
VI. FORMS/ASPECTS (SUBJECTS) OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
QDE is considered as one of the broadest branches of Forensich Science since it deals with different subjects. A. Handwriting Examination (Graphology/Graphoanalysis) 1. examination of signatures and initials 2. examination of anonymous letters 3. hand printing examination B. Examination of Typewritings and typeprints. C. Examination of Inks D. Examination of Erasures, alterations or obliterations, etc. 1. Detection of alteration 2. Decipherment of erased writings 3. Restoration of obliterated writings E. Counterfeiting 1. Examination of currency bills and coins and the like. 2. Examination of fake documents F. Miscellaneous aspects 1. Determination of age of documents 2. Identification of stamps 3. Examinations of seal and other authenticating devices
