Questioned Documents

It is any document that may be disputed, especially as to its source and/or

authenticity is a questioned document. It can be a handwriting, signature, mark or any

handwritten/typewritten document whose reliability or source is doubtful.

Classes of Questioned Documents

Documents with Questioned Signatures

It is all about the papers that contains a person’s signature under uncertainty and

being disputed relating to the legitimacy just like from the check, note, receipt, draft,

order, contract, will, or any similar paper that has a person’s signature of which it’s

under uncertainty. Signature verification is a comparative scientific procedure in which a

collection of the victim’s known signatures and initials from the same period as the

questioned document are compared to each other.

As you can see in the example below, it shows a signature in a paper that being

compared to each other. If a questioned signature appears on a long document such as

a will or contract, it is very important not to overlook the initials on each page of the

document, or next to certain paragraphs. These tiny little twist in the signature below

can be helpful to reveal the differences from one signature to another.

 Another example, as you can see in the picture below, it shows a paper of an

affidavit that clearly shows the differences of the person’s signature from one to

another.

Documents Containing Alleged Fraudulent Alteration

In this class, it is all included all those alleged alteration that has been made by

the erasure, putting some addition or substitution by reason of the value of the

document is materially changed.

 As you can see in the picture below, it makes an appearance in terms of

sequence of writing as shown by the crossed lines, age of writing, and continuity of

writing. Also, there’s an erasures and changes in this check.

Holograph Document Questioned or Disputed

A holograph is a document written entirely in the handwriting of the person

whose signature it bears or go through. The picture below is the one of the most

important types of such documents because it is holographic last wills. It also one legal

documents that completely written and signed by a person who write this.
Documents Attacked on the Questioned of their Date and Age

A document in which a comparative parts may have relevancy on the question of

genuineness. In the example below, it’s a transfer of a certificate title or a land title

which you can see the age of an instrument and shows how long time it’s been created

just like an ancient documents.

Documents Attacked on the Questioned of Materials Used in Their Production

The example below is a passport, wherein observations, examinations and

analysis are being conducted here just to prove that the document whether or not the

date indicated on the paper that being used as the material in their production. Also, you

can see a different stamps that have a date value.

Documents that Identify the Handwriting

This class includes all the documents which by their handwriting and contents

tends to identify some person under suspicion or arrest for the purpose of diverting

suspicion from the writer. The example of this are all the ordinary letters like a note, as

you can see the picture below, which is use as the proof or evidence but it contains

some abusive or warning in terms of doing blackmailing.

Genuine Documents Erroneously or Fraudulently Attacked

A class of questioned document that is a handwriting wherein it’s either genuine

or forged. The forensic process of this signature is to look beyond the obvious as you

can see in the example picture below. As you compared those questioned signatures,

the one that is alleged to have been forged can be examined. Then, it is compared to a

collection of signatures that are known to be genuine.

Documents to Identify Typewriting

A document that is under examination according to the typewriter that is being

used in formulating a document. It has source and determining the dates in creating a

document. In the picture below, it’s a certificate of a Land registration, you can

distinguish what typewriter that a person used here. There are also a content, dates and

sources that can be useful in critical observation.