FUNDAMENTALS OF

Questioned Document
Examination

PRELIMS
Course
Description
-Forensic Document Examination is a study involving the
detection, analysis, comparison and examination of documents
containing issues as to integrity, credibility and authenticity. It
also includes various aspects of forensic investigative
techniques; laboratory activities and research works concerning
document controversies. Moreover, scientific procedures and
techniques likewise signifying knowledge in understanding its
importance for forensic investigation.

-The course is intended for criminology students as a

preliminary avenue to understand the essence of forensic
practice particularly on questioned document related aspects.
Course
Objectives:
•At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
1. explain the concept, nature and development of the
handwriting and typewriting.
2. apply the procedures in forensic document examination.
3. identify the different methods and techniques in forgery and
alterations of document.
4. apply the procedures in detecting counterfeit money.
5. identify the procedures in the care, handling and treatment
of the documentary evidence; and apply the principles in
questioned document examination.
BASIC
CONCEPTS
DOCUMENT - any material that contains
marks, symbols, or signs either visible,
partially visible, or invisible that may
ultimately convey a meaning or message to
someone.

QUESTIONED DOCUMENT -a term

suggesting that there is an argument
or controversy over the documents.
BASIC
CONCEPTS
• QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION - a
term for a forensic science discipline
pertaining to documents that are potentially
disputed in a court of law.
 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT

• ALBERT OSBORN - gained the fame as the

“Father of Modern Document Examination”

• J.Newton Baker in his book “The Law of

Disputed and Forged Documents”, states
that “Forgery was practiced in the
earliest times in every country where
writing was the medium of
communication.
HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS ON WRITING
MATERIALS

 PAPER

The word "paper" is etymologically derived from

“papyrus”, Ancient Greek for the Cyperus
papyrus plant.

Papyrus is a thick, paper-like material produced

Roman portraiture fresco of
from the pith of the Cyperus papyrus plant which a young man with a papyrus
was used in ancient Egypt and other scroll, from Herculaneum,
1st century AD
Mediterranean cultures for writing long before
the making of paper in China.
A paper mill is a water-powered mill that pounds
the pulp by the use of trip-hammers. The
mechanization of the pounding process was an
Paper page fragment from a Coptic
important improvement in paper manufacture over language Bible from Egypt in the Islamic
the manual pounding with hand pestle period, 700s AD or later

The Nuremberg paper mill, the building

complex at the lower right corner, in 1493.
Due to their noise and smell, paper mills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnUbzg0PxsY were required by medieval law to be erected
outside of the city perimeter
TYPES OF
PAPERS
• WRITING PAPER PADS - common paper

• CARBON PAPER - heavily coated with waxy layer

which hold sufficient coloring matter to give
clearly defined transferred impression in use.

• SAFETY PAPER - paper which have been treated in

such a way as to minimize the chances of a
successful forgery by erasure.

• BOND PAPERS - commonly used in typing and

writing documents.

• STATIONERIES, COLORED AND PERFUMED -

commonly used for special letters.
 WRITING
INSTRUMENT
• Quills were used as instruments for
writing with ink before the metal dip pen,
the fountain pen, and eventually the
ballpoint pen came into use. Quill pens
were used in medieval times to write on
parchment or paper.

• A reed pen is cut from a reed or

bamboo, with a slit in a narrow
tip.
THE EARLIEST WRITING
INSTRUMENTS
• Roman Beaver
• The Reed Pen (still used in the orient)
• The Goose-Quill of or great grandfathers
• The Steel Pen (still widely used today)
• An early type of fountain pen
• The ballpoint pen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ81ij_Sh18

INK
• CARBON INK - the early form of ink prepared
by the ancient Chinese and Egyptians. The
ink invented according to legend by the
Chinese Philisopher Tien Lcheu (2697
BCE)

• HERACLIUS - in his De Coloribus et Artibus

Romanurom, presented a set of directions for
making several types of carbon ink made
from soot of burning resin or wood where
different types of it creates different
colored inks.

• THEOPHILUS - presented a recipe for

carbon ink.
• INK - is a fluid or a viscous material or preparation of various kinds used in
writing or printing.

COMMON FLUID WRITING INK

1. India Ink (lampblack + gum/glue + water)
2. Iron Gallo-tannates {gallo-tanic acid + FeSO4 /Fe2(SO4)3}
3. Logwood Ink (K2CrO4) – purple extract to black ink
4. Alkaline Ink (alkaline solution) – difficult to remove from paper
5. Nigrosine & Aniline Ink – (coal tar)
6. Indelible Ink – permanent heavy ink, cannot be removed at all
CLASSES OF
INK
• COLORED INK - Synthetic dyestuffs from the basis of practically all
colored inks whether intended for use in fountain pens or not.

• COPYING INK - Is substantially a concentrated record ink to which has

been added chemical such as glycerine or dextrin.

• LOGWOOD INK - Formerly in extensive use but rarely encountered today.

About 80 percent of writing ink is dyestuff ink, the remainder being
iron- tannin.
BASIC CONCEPTS,
THEORIES &
PRINCIPLES
 GENERAL TERMS

DOCUMENT – any material which contain marks, symbols or signs

either visible partially visible or invisible that may ultimately
convey a meaning or message to someone, pencil or ink,
typewriting or printing on paper are the most usual forms of
documents.

DISPUTED DOCUMENT – a term suggesting that there is an

argument or controversy over the documents.
 GENERAL
TERMS
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT – any document which some
issue has been raised or that which is under scrutiny.

HOLOGRAPHIC DOCUMENT – any document completely

written and signed by one person.
 GENERAL
TERMS
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 involved a court action.

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.
 GENERAL
TERMS
FORENSIC SCIENCE – the field of science that is used in the judicial process.

CHARACTERISTICS – any property or mark that distinguishes and in questioned

document examination commonly refers to as identifying details.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS - Not all characteristics encountered is

document examination are peculiar to a single or thing but rather common
to a group.

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS – a characteristics which is highly personal or

peculiar
and is unlikely to occur in other instances
 GENERAL TERMS

• COMPARISON – the act of setting two or more items side by side to weigh their
identifying qualities

• EXAMINATION – the act of making a close and critical study of any material and
with questioned documents is the process necessary to discover the facts
about them.
 GENERAL
TERMS
GRAPHOLOGY – the act of attempting to interpret the
character or personality of an individual from his
handwriting.

PALEOGRAPHY – it is the study of early writings, old

and ancient scripts. It also focuses on writings done
on papyrus, parchment, vellum, etc.

PETROGRAMS – writings and drawings printed on the

surface of the rocks.

AMBIDEXTROUS – ability to write with both left and

right
 GENERAL
TERMS
• ICONOGRAPHS- Is the first form of written
communication which started as far as
20,000 years ago by the Neolithic man
was graphically
represented by arranged objects and
drawings on the walls of the caves and
big stones.

• PICTOGRAPHS - represented by pictures

and became signs.

• HIEROGLYPHICS - a kind of picture

writing used by the Egyptians
GENERAL
TERMS
• CUNEIFORM- A system of writing
invented by the Sumerians that used
wedge –shape symbols.

• SCRIBES- are correspondence/ writing

for the public
 GENERAL
TERMS
• PETROGLYPHS – writings or images on the walls of public area.
Most often prohibited by law.

• CACOGRAPHY – characterized as bad writing.

• CALIGRAPHY – is the art of beautiful writing.

• TECHNIQUE – the quality of skill and execution of some artistic

scientific works.
 GENERAL TERMS
• OPINION – In legal language, the document examiners conclusion.

• STANDARD – a condensed and compact set of authentic specimen which, if adequate

and proper should contain a true cross section of the material from a known
source.

• COLLECTED STANDARDS – handwritings executed from day to day in the course of

personal, business and social affairs of life.

• REQUESTED STANDARDS-handwritings executed upon request of the investigator

for
the sole purpose of comparison.
• POST LITEM MOTAM STANDARD - writings produced by the subject after evidential
writings have come into dispute and solely for the purpose of establishing his
contentions.
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT VS. DISPUTED
DOCUMENT

QUESTIONED DOCUMENT DISPUTED DOCUMENT

a term suggesting that there is an

any document in which some
argument or controversy over the
documents. issues has been raised or that
which is under scrutiny.
 THE SUBJECT MATTERS OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
EXAMINATION
1. SIGNATURE IDENTIFICATION
- whether the signature is simple or spurious forgery
- traced forgery
- simulated or freehand imitation
- genuine, authentic, known signature

2. HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION
-whether the questioned and standard specimen of handwriting in question
has similarity in handwriting style - block style, cursive writing or script writing.
-whether the handwriting was written by one and same person or written
by another person.
3. TYPEWRITTEN/COMPUTERIZED DOCUMENTS
-whether size and spacing in questioned and standard exemplars are similar or
not, including the type style
- whether they possess the same unique identifying characteristics
-determine origin of databases, copy toner data bases, paper data bases,
watermarks, computers and computer printouts of the questioned and standard
computer exemplars.

4. ALTERATIONS
-determine whether or not the changes were made through erasures,
obliterations, intercalation, interlineations, substitution, etc.
- whether alterations were done during the preparation of the document after the
execution of the document.
- whether a different ink or paper was used in altering the document.

5. COUNTERFEITING
-determine workmanship of each denomination as to whether it is genuine
or counterfeit.
- familiarize basic features of bank notes and coins.
 CLASSES OF
DOCUMENT
• PUBLIC DOCUMENT - documents that are public in nature and that this documents
are notarized by a notary public or any person authorized by law.

• PRIVATE DOCUMENT - documents executed by a private individual and that this

document are concerned with the contention of a private individual.

• OFFICIAL DOCUMENT - documents in which authority of law or any office

and/or
agency of the government are its source.

• COMMERCIAL DOCUMENT - documents that are concerned to commercial

affairs
and are in accordance with the mercantile law.
 WHEN CAN A PRIVATE DOCUMENT
MAY BECOME A PUBLIC
DOCUMENT?

A private document may become a public document when it

partakes the nature of a public document.

Ex. a holographic will executed by a private person, once it will be

notarized by a notary public, it will turn into being a public document.
 RESPONSIBILITIES OF A QD
EXAMINER
SERVING AS EXPERT WITNESS

• QD EXAMINER - is responsible for proper examination of questioned and

standard specimen. He is expected to perform his task scientifically
w/out the influence of parties who have interest in the case.
 GENERAL PRINCIPLES IN THE CARE,
HANDLING AND PRESERVATION
OF QD
• EVIDENTIARY VALUE.

• EXACTLY THE SAME CONDITION AS IT WAS FIRST SUSPECTED.

 SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES IN
Q.D.E.
1. RECOGNITION OF HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS

- the process of recognizing handwriting characteristics takes time

and the ability of the examiner to distinguish what are the style and
individual characteristics.
2. COMPARISON OF
HANDWRITING
CHARACTERISTICS
- in comparing questioned with the standard exemplars, point of
similarities and dissimilarities are noted for later evaluation. In
comparison, make allowance for the presence of natural
variations in handwriting.
3. EVALUATION OF HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS FOR OPINION
PURPOSES
- after comparison, evaluate the significance and number of points of
similarities and dissimilarities of handwriting characteristics as it will
become the sole basis of conclusion.

4. FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS
- the examiner should offer findings or conclusions based on the results of
the examined documents together with photographic presentations.
 BASIC PRINCIPLES GOVERNING
HANDWRITING AND SIGNATURE
IDENTIFICATION
1. IDENTIFY HANDWRITING CHARACTERSITICS
- Individual or Personal Characteristics
- Common, Class Style Characteristics

2. CATEGORIZE DOCUMENTS
- Standard Documents
- Questioned or Disputed Documents

3. SELECT BEST STANDARDS OF COMPARISON

- Procured/collected Standards
- Requested Standards
- Typewriting/Computer Print Standards
4. SEARCH FOR EVIDENTIARY DOCUMENTS
-evidential documents encompasses all documents, writings, type
writings, paintings, and marks intended to prove, or capable of
proving any principal or collateral fact of investigative or legal interest.
Such must be searched.

5. PROVIDE SOUND CONCLUSIONS

-is derived from the investigator's effort to provide evidence of
authorship of the handwriting and independently identified the
author by obtaining timely and demonstratively standards.
 THE HANDWRITING

HANDWRITING - is the result of a very complicated series

of acts being as a whole, a combination of certain form
of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by a
long continued painstaking effort.
 FACTORS THAT AFFECTS
HANDWRITING
1.NATURAL VARIATIONS - the normal or usual deviations found in a
repeated specimen of an individual's handwriting or in the product of any
typewrite.

2.TRANSITORY CHANGE – causes which only continue to exist while the

basic cause of the deterioration is still affecting the writer, once such cause has
been removed from the writer, his writing will revert to its normal form.

3.TREMOR - the weakening of strokes set apart by a wavering or shaky

stroke. This may be due to genuine tremor caused by either sickness,
weakness, old age or illiteracy or a tremor of fraud.
 KINDS OF
TREMOR
1.GENUINE TREMOR - show some free connecting and terminal
stroke made by the momentum of the hand. This is due to sickness,
weakness, disease or old age.

2.TREMOR OF ILLITERACY - characterized by irregularity due to the lack

of will and mental uncertainty as to the form of general clumsiness,
resulting from unfamiliarity with the whole writing process.

3.TREMOR OF FRAUD - which is drawn even though quite perfect in

general form, shows but little, if any freedom and will often show hesitation
at the wrong places and tremor slowly placed.
 GRAPHOLOGY
• Graphology is the analysis of the physical
characteristics and patterns of handwriting
purporting to be able to identify the writer,
indicating psychological state at the time of
writing, or evaluating personality characteristics.
It is generally considered a pseudoscience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t97HJvr9K0 (GRAPHOLOGY & HANDWRITING ANALYSIS)