• Questioned Document Examination

• Wilfredo D. Dalugdog

• Coverage

• Introduction to Documents and Questioned Document Examination

• Handwriting Identification and Examination

• Investigation and Detailed Examination of Signatures

• Forgery, Counterfeiting and Falsification

• Writing Materials

• Writing Instruments

• Typewriting Identification and Examination

• Terms to ponder

Document

• Is any material containing marks, symbols, or signs either visible, partially visible that may
present or ultimately convey a meaning to someone.

• Documentum (latin) meaning “lesson” or “example”. In latin Medieval it is “instruction, or

official paper”

• Docere (French) meaning “to teach”.

Standard (Standard Document)

• These are condensed and compact set of authentic specimens which, if adequate and proper,
should contain a cross section of the material from a known source.

Exemplar

• Is a term used by some document examiners and attorneys to characterize known material.

Reference Collection

• is the material compiled and organized by the document examiner to assist him in answering
special questions. Reference collections of typewriting, check writing specimens, inks, pens,
pencils, and papers are frequently maintained.

• What is document?

• Document is refers to any material which contains marks, symbols, and signs either visible or
partially visible or invisible that convey a meaning and message to someone.

• At present, electronic files can be considered as a document (fisher, et. al., 2009).
 • Usually, document is in the form of pencil, ink writing, typewriting, or printing on paper
(Lagumen, 2005)

• How documents become a questioned document?

• A document becomes a questioned document when it is being questioned as to its originality,

authenticity, authorships, source, and genuineness and when it is placed under scrutiny to
determine whether or not it is disputed.

• Questioned Document

• Is any signature, handwriting, typewriting, or other marks whose source or authenticity is in

dispute or doubtful.

• When some issues have been raised regarding the document or which are under scrutiny, it is
called a questioned document. On the other hand, the term disputed document is used to
suggest that there is an argument or controversy over the document

• Cont…

• However, it should be remembered that not all documents are fraudulent. Not all are
instruments of crime.

• There may be a variety of reasons for questioning a document other than to invalidate it or
establish the basis for a criminal action.

• Many documents are examined closely only to identify their authors, or to establish their
source.

• Cont…

• Therefore, we can say that a disputed document is always a questioned document, while a
questioned document is not always a disputed document with respect to its authenticity, or
identity, or origin, or the relation among its parts, or its relation to other things

• Classes of Questioned Document

1. Document with questioned signatures (most common);

2. Documents containing alleged fraudulent alterations;

3. Holograph documents – a document completely written by one person.

3 Requisites of holographic document

a. Handwritten by the author

b. Dated

c. Signed

• Cont…

3. Documents questioned as to their age or date

4. Documents questioned on the material used in their production

5. Documents involving typewriting, and are investigated or examined for purposes of determining:

a. Their source

b. Their date

c. Whether or not it contains fraudulent alterations or substituted pages.

• What is Document Examination?

• Huber & Headrick (1999) defined document examination is the discipline that seeks to
determine the history of a document by technical or scientific processes.

• As they quoted in their book, “forensic document examination is the study of physical evidence,
and physical evidence cannot lie. Only its interpretation can err. Only the failure to find it or to
hear its true testimony can deprive it of its value.”

Question: When does official document becomes public document?

A. When a document was issued by an official and was notarized for legal purposes.

B. When a notarized document was issued by an official of a government office.

C. When a receipt was issued and was certified as true copy.

D. When a document is certified and notarized by a notary public.

Answer: A

• Kinds of Documents

1. Public Document – any instrument notarized by a notary public or competent public official with
solemnities required by law.

2. Official Document – any instrument issued by the government or its agents or its officers having the
authority to do so and the offices, which in accordance with their creation, they are authorized to issue
and be issued in the performance of their duties.

• Cont…

3. Private Document – every deed or instrument executed by a private person without the intervention
of a notary public or of any person legally authorized, by which documents, some disposition or
agreement is proved, evidenced or set forth.

4. Commercial Document – any instrument executed in accordance with the Code of Commerce or any
Mercantile Law, containing disposition of commercial rights or obligations.

• Standard Document

• Are condensed and compact set of authentic specimen which is adequate and proper, should
contain a true correction of the material form a known source.
 • They are used by the Document Examiner as the basis for his identification or non-identification
of the questioned document as, for example, for the known handwriting which serves to
establish who wrote the disputed letter.

• Two Kinds of Standard Documents

a. Procured or Collected – Those which are obtain from files of document executed in the persons day
to day business, official, social or personal activities.

b. Requested or Dictated – Those which are given or made upon the request of an investigator for
purpose of making comparative examination with the request writing. Latin term “Post Litem Motan”
meaning previously written.

• Basic Cardinal Rules in Taking

Requested or Dictated Standard

1. DO NOT coach the writer on how to make the letter forms

2. DO NOT show the writer the Questioned Writing

3. DO NOT let the subject copy the writings from the Questioned Writing.

4. DO NOT coach the writer with spelling, grammar or arrangement of words.

5. DO NOT tell how date is written whether in words, figures or the combination.

• Procedure in Taking Standards

1. Have the subject seated in a natural position at a table or desk having smooth writing surface.

2. Furnish subject with paper and writing instrument similar to those used in questioned writings.

3. Never permit the subject to see any writing on the questioned document.

4. Dictate material to be written. Give no assistance in spelling. Repeat dictation atleast 3 times
depending on the speed of the writer.

5. Remove each specimen upon completion by the subject. Let the subject affix his/her initials with
date and time in each page or signature.

6. Observe all writing done by subjects and indicate any attempt of disguise, as well as whether
subjects appears to be normally right or left handed, etc.

• Factors to Consider in Gathering Standards

AMOUNT OF STANDARDS NEEDED

- Atleast 10-25 signatures

- Atleast 4-5 pages of natural handwriting

SIMILARITY OF SUBJECT MATTER

 - Consider all in determining similarity. As to style or kind of handwriting, as to paper and
instrument used in writing, as to the different strokes used.

RELATIVE DATES of the questioned and the standards writing standard signatures or writing must
be those written five (5) years before or five (5) after the date of the questioned signature or writing.
The ideal standards are those before, on and after the date of the questioned writing. The interval of
years between the questioned and standards should not exceed more than five years.

• Subjects Considered in Questioned Document Examination

1. Handwriting examination

a. examination of signatures and initials

b. examination of anonymous letters

c. hand printing examination

2. Typewriting examination

3. Examination of inks

4. Erasures, alterations or obliterations, etc.

5. Counterfeiting

• Why is Document Examination Conducted?

Document examination is conducted to determine:

• Its origin (e.g.: Where did the document came from?)

• Its production source (e.g.: Whose person or what machine produced it?)

• Its production process (e.g.: How was it made?)

• Its inscription (e.g.: What has faded or been obliterated?)

• Its chastity (e.g.: What changes, if any, have been made to it?)

• Its integrity (e.g.: Is it genuine or false?)

• Its legitimacy (e.g.: Is it an original or a production, and if so, what generation?)

• Two Broad Classes of Questioned Document Examination

1. Criminalistic Examination – for detection of forgeries, alterations and obliterations.

• As cited by Gonzales (2008) what Dr. Wilson Harrison have said as a British Examiner of
questioned document, that an intelligent police investigator can detect almost 75% of all of his
magnifiers and measuring tools. The examination of document in the criminalistics laboratory is
also a scientific procedure which can be learned in a very short time.
2. Handwriting Identification – to find out who is the author of the writing.

• It is a more difficult procedure and requires a long study and experience. Because we recognize
the handwriting of other person easily, we think that it is a simple matter to detect forgery in
handwriting. This is not true. The problem is that no person ever writes a letter exactly the same
every time. The handwriting experts have to learn difference of form and structure by a short
intuition

“no person can write exactly alike in exact details.”

This principle was mathematically demonstrated in the famous “Howland Will Case” (American Law
Reviewer 641), Professor Benjamin Pierce of Harvard University testified that such identical coincidence
could only happen once in every nine hundred thirty one quintillion times
(931,000,000,000,000,000,000).

• Three Phases of Scientific Questioned Document Examination

1. Recognition of Characteristics (Analysis)

2. Complete Comparison of all Characteristics (Comparison)

3. Correct Interpretation of Characteristics (Evaluation)

• Processes in Scientific Method of Examination

• Analysis – properties or characteristics are observed, measured and determined.

• Comparison – properties or characteristics of the unknown items determined thru analysis are
compared with the familiar or recorded properties of known items.

• Processes in Scientific Method of Examination

• Evaluation – similarities or dissimilarities in property or characteristics that have certain value

for identification are determined by their likelihood or occurrence. The weight or significance of
each must therefore be considered.

Handwriting Identification and Examination

• Important Terms

• Writing – It is the result of a very complicated series of acts, being used as whole, combination
of certain forms of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by long, continued painstaking
effort.

• Handwriting – It is the visible effect of bodily movement which is an almost subconscious

expression of fixed mental expression of certain ideas associated with script form.

• Natural Handwriting – Any writing executed normally without any attempt to control or alter its
identifying habits and its usual quality of execution.
• Disguised Writing – A writer may deliberately try to alter his usual writing habits in hope of
hiding his identity, writing skill is poorer, change in slant, size, altered or capital letters.

• Stroke – Series of lines or curves written in a single letter. One of the lines of an alphabet or
series of lines or curves within a single letter. The path traced by the pen on the paper.

• Arc/Arch – a curved formed inside the top curve of loop, as in small letters “h”, ‘m”, “n”, “p”.

• Cacography – a bad writing

• Calligraphy – the art of beautiful writing

• Descender – opposite of ascender, the lower portion of a letter.

• Habits – any repeated elements or details, which may serve to individualize writing.

• Ligature/Connection – the strokes which connect two stroke of letter, characterized by

connected stroke between letters.

• Majuscule – a capital letter

• Minuscule – a small letter.

• Movement Impulses – this refer to the continuity of stroke force writing is usually produce by
disconnected and broken movements more motion or movement impulses than genuine
writing.

• Handwriting Identification

• Handwriting as defined by Wigmore in his book “Judicial Proof” is a visible effect of bodily
movement, which is an almost unconscious expression of fixed muscular habits, reacting fixed
mental impressions of certain ideas associated with script form.

• Environment, education, and occupation affect individual style of writing.

• Thus, writing comes to be made up of innumerable subconscious, habitual patterns, which are
as much a part of the individual as any of his personal habits or mannerism.

• Physiology of Handwriting Production

• When a baby is born, he is equipped with certain basic, automatic abilities. It can breathe, cry,
suck, and move his limbs randomly. To accomplish more complex tasks, the baby must learn.
Patterns must be formed and stored in the brain, which then will trigger messages to travel
through the nervous system to the muscles to produce movements (behavior).

• Physiology of Handwriting Production

• In a similar way, the baby learns to reach, grasp, speak and walk. More and more complex
actions become possible as the baby builds the neural pathways that travel between the
 muscles and the brain via the nervous system. Handwriting is an extremely complex motor
task, which is not usually learned until the child is 5 to 6 years old and has mastered simpler
skills.

• Physiology of Handwriting Production

• Handwriting is the result of such stored motor knowledge. Handwriting is distal, meaning that it
occurs at the extremities and involves fine motor activity as opposed to a skill like walking,
which is proximal meaning it refers to large, or gross motor skill.

• One reason individuals find it difficult to simulate the handwriting of others is that to do so
successfully, it requires understanding the essence of the writer’s motor control program and
executing that same program.

• Physiology of Handwriting Production

FIRST STEP - when a person first begins to learn the art of penmanship, copybook forms of the different
letters are placed before him. His first step is one of imitation only, by a process of “drawing
penmanship”, which is laborious slow copying of the letter forms.

SECOND STEP – as the person progresses, the matter of form recedes, and the focus of attention is
centered on the execution of various letters, that is, they are actually written instead of drawn.

• Physiology of Handwriting Production

THIRD STEP – the manual operation in the execution of letters, after progress, is likewise soon relegated
to the subjective mind and the process of writing becomes more or less automatic. As the person reach
maturity in writing by many repetitions, writing becomes an unconscious coordinated movement that
produces a record. Attention is no longer given to the process of writing itself because the subject
matter to be written now occupies the focus of attention.

• Individuality of Handwriting

• Writing with all its thousands of peculiarities in combination is the most personal and individual
thing that a man does which leaves a record that can be seen and analyzed. This combination of
peculiarities is what constitutes individuality of handwriting.

• Although thousands learn the same system of writing that leaves it impress upon a class of
writers, such impress or influence does not by any means produce a slavish uniformity.
Variation begins as soon as writing begins and continues until each writer writes in the same
way that seems easiest and best for him.

• Cont…

• This means that the particular style or system of penmanship learned at the early stage of
writing leaves an impress upon the mind, which influences exactly the writing of later years. The
writing pattern of each child or learner embodies a unique combination of such deviation from
the standard letterforms of copybook forms and becomes his personal habits.

• Cont…
• The theory upon which handwriting is identified and differentiated is based on the axiom that
“no two person write exactly alike or that a person never write his signature twice alike” is
recognized by all courts of the civilized world. This is so because each person has an individuality
that stamps him apart from all other person.

• Cont…

• The handwriting of the same person varies slightly but remains the same in characteristics that
are habitual and inflexible. We know from experience and observation that no persons can
produce an exact facsimile of his writing or signature upon two different occasions regardless of
his attempt and desire to do so since many elements enter into the production of a difference.

• Cont…

• Some of these are the kind of paper, the kind of ink or pencil, the position of the writer as well
as the physical condition and mental attribute of the writer.

• Although there are instances that the writings of two persons are sometimes found to
resemble each other. But this resemblance pertains to formation only and not to specific
characteristics that remain ever present in the genuine writing.

• Cont…

• This pictorial similarity can be differentiated only by careful examination conducted by a skilled
document examiner.

• An examiner makes the difference because each writer has his own distinct mental conception
of style and manner of writing that produce certain characteristics that identify and clearly
differentiate his writing from all others. this difference arises because the same combination of
distinct characteristics does not exist in equal degree in the handwriting of two persons.

• Cont…

• The great difficulty in writing a perfect simulation of a genuine writing is the “technical
execution” and although the writings may have the same appearance or pictorial effect, the
distinction can be made. Similarly, two painting may have the same appearance but the
distinction can be made because of the brush application of the artist.

• Cont…

• Whenever examiner encounters two writing that contains precisely the same detail and
arrangement, a suspicion is instantly raised that one or both signatures cannot be genuine. This
conclusion is based on the ground “no person can write exactly alike in exact details.” In such
instances, the possibility of such coincidence is very conclusive of forgery by tracing method.

• Natural Variation

• In all document problems there is yet another important element that must be considered is the
question of “natural variation.” Variations in handwriting are the peculiarities in letter
formations resulting directly from force of habit or some definite cause at the time of writing.
 Every signature of any length contains some variations; however slight, they are never so nearly
alike that they will coincidence, or completely superimpose with each other.

• Cont…

• These variations in writing are actually partial changes, alternations, departures and
modifications in the formation of the alphabetical letters caused by the intensity of pressure,
the angle of pen, the speed applied at the beginning or termination of words written by the
same individual.

• Cont…

• These peculiar variations of letters involuntarily constructed give handwriting a distinctive

individuality. Quite frequently, these variations in the written signature are the evidence of
genuineness while duplication is evidence of forgery.

• Cont…

• However, to write a signature in a different style is not a variation of the signature but a new
and different signature, such as when an individual has one style of signature for general
correspondence and another style for special business. In habitual writing the variations are
measured by the degree or extent of divergence from the normal writing.

• Cont…

• The variations are to be measured cumulatively, each varying materially in strength, for each is
inconclusive by itself, but all combined sustain a definite conclusion.

• Cont…

• The forger or fabricator never fails to include all the letters but fails to give the variations their
proper values and, not being familiar with the distinctive variations used by the writer of the
genuine writing, he is unable to produce a simulation that cannot be distinguished from the
genuine writing.

• Cont…

• When the distinction between the variations in the genuine writing and the divergences in the
similar writing of another person is established, the evidence of fraud is therefore apparent.

• Cont…

• It must therefore be remembered that in order to distinguish the genuine from the spurious,
variations must be shown in sufficient number and quality so that they cannot be attributed to
coincidence or possible accident.

• Evaluation and Interpretation of Significant Difference in Writing

• Characteristics of handwriting are of various degrees of force and values as affecting judgment
in regard to identity of two writings, depending upon on their character, their number and their
permanency.
 • The characteristics of a particular writing as carefully analyzed and classified are: Permanent or
invariable (consistent); Habitual or usual; Occasional; Exceptional or rare and Accidental

• Cont…

• Difference refers to characteristics of certain writing that diverge from writing of another in such
manner and degree that the difference cannot be reasonably explain or account for by an
unusual conditions of the writer.

• Cont…

• Lucid Differences are those markedly distinct in quality or character of writing. In other words,
they are obvious changes among other things they include differences in letter design and
construction, dimensions, and slant. Lucid difference is also called “disparities.” Disparity is a
more pronounced difference in writing that is seen in the style of a writer.

• Cont…

• Elusive Difference is less pronounced, more subtle, that do not reflect basic changes in design
or construction. Elusive difference is also called “divergence.” They occur or seen more with
regard to element of execution.

• Cont…

• Several factors that should not be overlook when evaluating difference since these may be due
to causes affecting element of execution:

• Due to writing conditions or external factors.

• Due to internal factors such as age, illness, drugs, etc.,

• Due to some attempt to disguise or to deliberately alter normal writing habits.

• From the distinction made between the two kinds of difference fundamental difference can be
defined as a disparity in one of its discriminating elements, within the element of style.

• Classification of Writing Characteristics

• Class characteristics these characteristics are common to a group of individuals and may result
from such influences as the writing system studied family associations, trade training, and
education. Another definition refers to it as those aspects, elements, or qualities of writing
that situate a person within a group of writers.

• Individual characteristics these are characteristics highly peculiar or unique to a particular

person and are likely to be repeated. Huber and Headrick defined it as those discriminating
elements that serve to differentiate between members within any or all groups.

• Recognition of writing characteristics

1. Form / letterform
 • Refers to the shape or design of the individual letters. Some points should be taken into
consideration.

1. Mere similarities in form are not sufficient indication of identity.

2. Basic differences in form of letters are indications of two writings being made by different
writers.

• Individual concept of letterform is introduced in handwriting for the following reasons:

1. The endeavor to attain a highly individualized handwriting;

2. An effort to make writing simpler and easier; and

3. To acquire greater speed.

2. Slope or slant

• It is an angle or inclination of the axis of letters relative to the baseline.

• Deliberate alteration of slope will affect rhythm and fluency in writing. A slight but persistent
difference in slant or slope in two writings is written by two different writers, while a
pronounced difference might be the result of intended disguise.

• It is improbable that one would attempt to disguise writing by a change in slant of not more
than 10 degrees and it is exceedingly difficult to make a uniform divergence of this small
amount.

3. Size

• Size as a writing characteristic is somewhat divergent under varying condition and may have but
little significance when applied to only one example, or to a small quantity of writing like a
signature unless the divergence is very pronounced.

4. Proportion

• Proportion of letters is one of the hidden features of writing. It is unknown even to the writer.

• A person not cognizant of such proportion peculiarities cannot be expected to discard them
completely in an attempt to disguise his writing or to assume or imitate successfully those
possessed by writing being simulated. The average height of a letter remains constant relative to
that of other letter even if the size of writing is changed.

• To change deliberately the size of writing maybe a simple matter.

5. Ratio

• Letters of the alphabet are divided into two groups namely:

a. Letters written entirely between the lines are referred to as short. Examples: a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r,
s, u, v, w, and x.
 b. Letters with upper or lower loops or other projected portions will be classed as tall. Examples: b,
d, f, g, h, j, l, p, t, y, and z.

• The ratio that approximates to that prescribed by the ordinary copybook form is termed as
normal.

• If the tall letters have loops twice longer than the height of the short letters, the ratio is
described as “high”; if opposite ratio is “low”. Deliberately change will affect the fluency.

6. Connecting strokes

• This refers to the strokes of links that connects a letter with the one following. In signatures, it is
a common practice among writers to write their signatures with the initials and connected
without lifting the pen.

7. Terminal strokes and initial strokes

• When a letter, word or name (signature) is completed in a free, natural writing, the pen is
usually raised from the paper while in motion with a “flying finish” (or what is also referred to as
“vanishing”, “tampering” or “flourishing” terminal strokes) and with many writers, the motion
of the pen also slightly precedes the putting of the pen on the paper at the beginning with a
“flying start” is that the strokes at the beginning and end of words gradually diminish or taper to
“vanishing point”.

8. Pen-Lift

• It is an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the pen from the paper. Pen – lift or
disconnections between and letter combinations are maybe due to lack of movement control.

• Generally, pen – lift has little significant value because their frequency and location is largely
governed by several conditions such as: Slow and carefully executed writing may have so many
pen – lifts; and Writing, done rapidly, will exhibit no pen – lift, except those at the end of the
words.

8. Pen-Lift

• It is an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the pen from the paper. Pen – lift or
disconnections between and letter combinations are maybe due to lack of movement control.

• Generally, pen – lift has little significant value because their frequency and location is largely
governed by several conditions such as: Slow and carefully executed writing may have so many
pen – lifts; and Writing, done rapidly, will exhibit no pen – lift, except those at the end of the
words.

9. Hiatus

• Is a gap between strokes due to speed in writing and defective writing instruments. Most people
have no fixed writing habit regarding the inclusion of hiatus. It is common to find slowly written
specimen handwriting of a particular writer with several gaps, while another specimen written
shortly afterwards is practically devoid of hiatuses. Therefore, hiatuses are included or omitted
in the handwriting according to the whim of the writer.
10. Lateral spacing

• Abnormally, wide spacing or cramping of letters may be regarded as personal characteristics of

some value. Most writers retain their abnormal spacing habits even if there is an attempt to
disguise other features in handwriting.

• Spacing of words is often a feature in handwriting. It remains constant even when handwriting
is disguised or written in rather unlimited spaces. Some writers prefer to reduce the size of
their writing to an almost illegible manner, rather than depart from the usual word spacing
habit.

11. Shading

• It is the widening of the ink strokes with increase pressure on the paper surface. It is dues to
the spitting of the pen-nib resulting in the widening of the ink lines as controlled by the variation
in pen pressure. The consistent variation in width due to the variation in pressure of fine and
delicate lines is more specifically referred to as “unconscious emphasis”.

• A forger, who is unfamiliar with the manner and manipulation of the pen by another person will
have difficulty in imitating his handwriting as to the exact location of the shading, most often
resort to retouching of inclines.

12. Line quality

• Is refers to the visible record in the written stroke of the basic movement and manner of holding
the writing instrument.

• It is the overall character of the written strokes from initial to the terminal.

• A natural handwriting done by a skillful writer will be found that practically all the curved strokes
are smoothly written. They exhibit none or but few abrupt changes in the curvatures.

13. Alignment

• Is the relation of the parts of the whole line of writing or line of individual letters in words or
signature to the baseline.

• In general, signature is written in a more florid style and often associated with greater degree of
misalignment of the letters.

• Persistent errors in the alignment of letters in a signature are often considered as individual
characteristics.

14. Rhythm

• It is the balanced quality of movements of the harmonious recurrence of stress or impulse. It is

the flowing succession of motion that is recorded in a written record. Habitual rhythm in writing
is the harmonious recurrence of stress, impulse or motion. It produced a natural and not a
constrained or an artificial result.
 • A flowing hand (a term used to describe a skillful, artistic writing ability) is a coordinated
succession of movement impulses that guide into each other with a rhythm.

15. Writing skill

• It is the relative degree of ability of a writer’s proficiency.

• Writing skills are dependent upon many factors, manual dexterity being the most important of
them. Manual dexterity is either inherent or acquired.

• The bases upon which skills (pleasing pictorial aspect of writing) are judged are:

1. Legibility

2. Symmetry

• Skill is usually classified as poor, medium and good.

16. Pen Pressure

• It is the average force in which the pen makes contact with the paper or the usual force involved
in writing. Pen pressure more accurately describes the proportion of strokes to each other in
width as affected by shading and by unconscious emphasis.

• Delicate, controlled pen pressure accompanies developed habitual rhythm that gives to writing
its vitality or life. In combined qualities, rhythm and pen pressure in writing there often is free,
harmonious movement and a certain springy, varying pen pressure which produces clear cut
accentuated strokes that increase and decrease in width like perfect cones, and especially starts
and terminates in vanishing points with the pen in motion.

17. Tremor

• It means “deviations from uniform strokes due to lack of smoothness perfectly apparent even
without magnification”.

• Lack of muscular skill with the pen is usually described as tremor and is shown by:

1. Lack of uniformity of speed in making pen strokes;

2. Pen stops;

3. Involuntary horizontal and vertical movements (uncontrollable sidewise movement produce a

line with abrupt changes of direction or zigzag character).

17. Tremor

• Involuntary pen pressure, sometimes referred to as “vertical tremor”, is the involuntary up and
down movements or changing pressure which produces a line of varying width or intensity as
the pressure is suddenly increased or diminished.

• Causes of tremor:

• Lack of skill on the part of the writer;

 • Self-consciousness of the writing process;

• Hesitation resulting from copying or imitation;

• Uncontrollable nervousness of the writer;

• In illiterate writing, due to clumsiness, partly due to lack of clear mental impression of the form
being made.

• Kind of tremor

• Genuine tremors such as: Tremor of age; illiteracy; weakness; and fraud.

• Tremor of age, illiteracy and of weakness are not always distinguishable from each other but can
be distinguished from that of fraud.

• Genuine tremor – genuine writing even if showing much tremor will show some free connecting
and terminal strokes made by the momentum of the hand. natural tremor, being voluntary, is
apt to be comparatively uniform on similar parts of a letter.

19. Rubric or embellishment

• This refers to additional unnecessary strokes not necessary to legibility of letterforms or writings
but incorporated in writing for decorative or ornamental purposes.

• Embellishment is usually added to signatures to enhance, what is to the writer their “pleasing
appearance.” This serves as “security” to make a signature more difficult to imitate or forge.

• Movement or manner of execution

• Is related to the handling position of the writing instrument that creates certain type of motion
affecting the quality of writing done specially the skill, speed, freedom, hesitations, tremors, line
quality and alignment. The different types of movement in writing is caused by the manner in
which the writing instrument is moved whether by finger, wrist, forearm or whole arm
movement, the outcome of which identifies the individuality in writing of a particular person.

• Kinds of movement

1. Finger movement

• This is accomplished by using the thumb, the first, and slightly the third fingers who are in
actual motion. It is one employed by children and illiterates. By using finger movement in
writing, the results of handwriting are: poor qualities, lack of rhythm and speed, letters are
cropped.

• Kinds of movement

2. Hand movement or wrist movement

• In this kind of movement, action comes from the wrist with the combination of fingers. The
wrist is the center of action, but with some action of the fingers. Results of this kind may show:
regularity of lines and considerable speed.
 • Kinds of movement

3. Whole arm movement

• This is actually the movement of the shoulder, hand and arm with the support of the table. The
center of the action is the elbow. The results of this kind of movement are: artistic design, and
similar to blackboard writing.

• Kinds of movement

4. Forearm movement

• When writing using the forearm, letters are formed due to the action of the elbow, forearm
resting on the writing surface. Results of this kind of movement are clear cut, fine quality
regular gradations of heavy and light pressure.

• Indications that show forearm movement was used are the following:

• Longer and embellished strokes

• Letters are usually larger in size

• SIGNATURE

SIGNATURE refers to a person's name, usually in his or her own handwriting.

In law, signatures are put at the end of a legal instrument to show that it is valid and may serve
as sign of acknowledgment.

The most common and readily accepted form is the person's own handwriting, but a signature
may be printed, typewritten, stamped (should be counter-signed).

Illiterate persons often draw “X” or other symbol, attested by the signature of a witness.

• TYPES OF SIGNATURES

1. FORMAL (a.k.a. CONVENTIONAL or COPYBOOK FORM) – done usually in writing the full name which
is readable.

2. INFORMAL (CURSORY) – usually done by writing the first name, surname or the initials in a signature.

a. Personalized – when the signature contains distinctive marks (personalized) purposely to easily
identify fake signature.

b. Semi-personalized – the writer has one or two distinctive designs to identify his/her own
signature.

• TYPES OF SIGNATURES

3. CARELESS SCRIBBLE – are signatures which cannot be read. It could be a symbol, composed lines or
writings that represents the person’s name or personality. This is sometimes called ABSTRACT
SIGNATURE.

4. STAMPED SIGNATURE – are signatures which are intelligently imitated.

5. THUMB PRINT – may be used by illiterate as substitute for signature.

6. SCANNED SIGNATURE – can be used to sign documents with the use of computer.

 Does signature or handwriting vary from time to time?

Ans. Yes, a signature or handwriting vary from time to time on account of the following reasons;

• Human beings do not possess a machine like precision

• Age

• Health condition

• External factor

FORGERY;
COUNTERFEITING &
FALSIFICATION

• FORGERY

FORGERY is a crime against public interest on making or producing an illegal copy of something so that it
looks genuine, usually for financial gain.

Forgery applies to:

1. signing the name of a person who cannot write;

2. the unauthorized use of another's signature, by transferring of a genuine signature to a

document for which it was NOT intended, or

3. the fabrication of an entire document.

Conclusive Indicators of Forgery:

1. Slowness of execution

2. Retouching

3. Pressure (change of hold)

4. Tremors (wavering)

5. Uncertain interrupted strokes

6. Marked variations of angles

Note: There is a possibility that all six of these conditions can be found in the writing of one with severe
illness.

ART 171, PENAL CODE

IMITATING - The Spanish text of Art. 171 of the Penal Code uses “fingiendo” to mean “imitation.”
 In feigning, there is no original signature, handwriting or rubric that exists.

To feign means to represent by a false appearance; to give a mental existence to; to imagine.

USING FICTITIOUS NAME

Art 178, RPC

FICTITIOUS NAME is any other name which a person publicly applies to himself without authority of law.

Elements of Using Fictitious Name:

1. That the offender uses a name other than his real name;

2. That he uses the fictitious name publicly;

3. That the purpose of the offender is:

a. to conceal a crime;

b. to evade the execution of a judgment;

c. to cause damage to public interest.

CONCEALING TRUE NAME

Art 178, RPC

Elements:

1. That the offender conceals

• his true name

• All other personal circumstances

2. That the purpose is to conceal only his identity.

NOTE: NOT punishable if purpose is for concealing true name for the purpose of screen play (Movies)
usually done by people in the Show Business Industry. SCREEN NAME refers to a name of a person used
for show business.

Review Question: Is there a scientific possibility to determine the sex of the forger when examining the
handwriting?

A. None

B. Yes

C. Either

D. Neither

Answer: A

FALSE TESTIMONY
FALSE TESTIMONY is committed by a person who:

a. is under oath;

b. gave testimony in court

c. that the testimony is untrue

3 FORMS OF FALSE TESTIMONY

1. Criminal cases (Arts 180-181 RPC)

2. Civil cases (Art 182 RPC)

3. Other cases (Art 183 RPC)

PERJURY

It is the willful and corrupt assertion of falsehood under oath or affirmation administered by
authority of law on a material matter.

Elements:

1. That the accused made a statement under oath or executed an affidavit upon a material matter;

2. That the statement of affidavit was made before a competent officer;

3. That the accused made a willful and deliberate assertion of falsehood; and

4. That the sworn statement or affidavit containing the falsity is required by law. (People vs
Bautista CA., 40 O.G. 2491)

COUNTERFEITING

COUNTERFEITING is making or copying of something, especially money, in order to defraud or deceive

another.

Legal definition: It is an offense for a person to make a counterfeit (fake) of currency note or coin
intending that he or another shall pass or tender it as genuine.

Etymological definition: Counterfeiting was derived from the Latin word contra (against) and facere
(make or do).

FALSIFICATION

FALSIFICATION is generally defined as the act of altering document (e.g. obliteration) with intent to
deceive.

It includes the common falsification of signature or entries in a document in order to deceive

another.

TERMS TO UNDERSTAND

1. OBLITERATION – the act of erasing or obscuring some entries in a document leaving no trace. It
came from Latin obliterare (remove letters) and litera (letter).
 2. SUBSTITUTION – the act of putting some writings or entries in a document in place of another,
or take the place of another. It came from Latin word substituere (set up under).

3. INTERLINEATION – the act of inserting words or group of words, figures between lines in a text
or document. It came from the Latin term linea (insert line or text).

4. INTERCALATION – the act of inserting words or group of words and figures in a line or along the
line in a text of a document. It came from Latin calare (proclaim).

KINDS OF FORGERY

1. SIMPLE FORGERY – the forger simply signs the name of other person without having knowledge
on the design or style of the genuine signature. He may sign the document in his own
handwriting or disguised handwriting. The signature is called also as SPURIOUS which means
false or fake.

2. SIMULATED FORGERY – the process of copying or imitating a genuine signature. This is also known as
FREEHAND FORGERY.

a. SIMULATED TECHNIQUE - The forger makes an effort to obtain a copy of the model signature
as basis in forging, stroke after stroke.

b. DIRECT TECHNIQUE – the forger after observing the model signature imitates directly with ink
pen in a document.

c. INDIRECT TECHNIQUE - forger works first with pencil and afterwards covers the pencil strokes
with ink.

…kinds of forgery

3. TRACED FORGERY – an act of following the outline of a genuine signature with a writing instrument.

a. LIGHT BOX TECHNIQUE - tracing is made with the aid of transmitted light. Also known as
Transmitted Light Technique.

…kinds of forgery—kinds of traced

b. TRACE OVER METHOD - the document to be forged is placed under (below) the genuine document
bearing the model signature. The signature is traced with inkless pen or any other sharp objects. To
make the signature visible, writing material is applied. Also known as Indentation Method.

c. CARBON METHOD - the forger places the document to be forged on the bottom, inter-leaves a piece
of carbon paper and places on top a document containing the genuine signature.

…kinds of forgery

4. MECHANICAL PLACEMENT – is a method of placing signature into a document through the

technology.

a. STAMPING – use of rubber-stamped or imprinted facsimile signatures.

 b. PHOTOCOPYING – the contents of a document can be edited by obliterating the contents and
photocopying to appear as original.

c. COMPUTER SCANNING – with the use of computer, signatures, handwriting specimen,

pictures, and other body parts pictures can be transferred to a document through technology.

IMPORTANT TERMS:

1. ANARCHRONISM – refers to the situation where the forger has trouble in matching the paper,
ink or writing materials.

2. GUIDED SIGNATURE – refers to signature of a person which was done with the assistance of
another. In legal parlance, this is legal if assistance was requested by the person concerned.

3. GENUINE SIGNATURE – refers to “ORIGINAL” signature executed by the writer in any document
as a sign of acknowledgment.

4. RESTRAINED WRITING – refers to the style of writing where letters are compressed and lacks
freedom between letters. This is sometimes called COMPRESSED WRITING.

5. LOOSE WRITING – refers to writings which unusually extended where letters are written to
deliberately change their handwriting. Also known as EXTENDED WRITING.

STEPS IN SIGNATURE EXAMINATION

1. Place the questioned and standard signatures in a juxtaposition;

2. Determine the manner of execution and handwriting movement;

3. Determine quality of the line, presence of tremor, hesitation, patching, retouching/retracing;

4. Examine the beginning and ending lines;

5. Determine the structure of the letters;

6. Observe the connecting strokes, slant, size, and lateral spacing;

• INDICATIONS OF FORGERY

1. EVIDENCE OF TRACING - can be detected through:

a. Microscopic Observation

b. Oblique Writing

c. Infrared Photography

d. Transmitted Light Examination

2. PEN PRESSURE – refers to the average force the pen is held against the paper. Forgers usually have
greater pressure when imitating signatures or handwritings.

3. HESITATIONS – evidenced by unnatural spread of ink in one part of a written character due to the
stoppage of the pen of the writer.
 • INDICATIONS OF FORGERY

4. RETOUCHING or RETRACING – done by habitual retouching or superimposition of the lines of the

stroke in a character.

5. PATCHING – the act of going back over a defective written character.

6. ABSENCE OF SPONTANEITY – the lack of smoothness of letters

• ALTERATION

• - Are the change in the writing made by the party thereto, or by some person entitled
there under after the instrument has been executed.

• - Such changes is made without the consent of other party interested and give the
instrument a different effect from that where it originally possessed.

• KINDS OF ALTERATION

1. ERASURE

• removal of writing, typewriting or printing from a document.

Mechanical or Abrasive erasure

• The writing is effaced by rubbing with a rubber erasure or scratching out with a knife or other
sharp instrument.

• Is usually made w/ a knife, rubber erasure or fine memory paper that will injure the paper.
When the paper surface is damaged the paper become porous and the ink will penetrate the
fiber

• KINDS OF ALTERATION

b. Chemical Erasure

• The writing is effaced by the use of liquid ink eradicator.

• Chemical eradicator are made in solution which bleach the color out of ink, making the writing
appear invisible.

• Frequently the eradicator can be detected by the peculiar odor removing in the paper or with
litmus paper which reveal evidence of tampering.

• A chemical alteration may sometimes be detected by the appearance of a pale yellow stains or a
slight discoloration around the suspected alteration/changes

• KINDS OF ALTERATION

2. ADDITION

• Any matter made a part of the document after its original preparation. When there is sufficient
space between the word or at the end of a sentence to permit the insertion or addition of a
 single letter or word or a punctuation mark, such alteration may change the impart of the entire
document of its monetary value

• KINDS OF ALTERATION

3. SUBTRACTION/ CANCELLATION

- Any matter out, strike out or scratched out after its original preparation.

- An alteration by cancellation is occasionally found in a document of importance such as will,

deed or contract where the writer intends to eliminate a word, name or sentence without the
necessity of rewriting the entire matter. The writer draws lines vertical or horizontal lines
through the writing having the effect of cancellation.

• KINDS OF ALTERATION

4. INTERLINEATION or INSERTION

• - The term “insertion” and “interlination” include the addition of writing and other
material between lines or paging or the addition of whole pages to a document.

• - The writing between the lines of an instrument for the purpose of adding apart to it or
correcting what has been written

• MONEY

• PRIMITIVE TYPES OF MONEY

1. COMMODITY MONEY - The principal materials used for this type of money have been gold,
silver, and copper. In ancient times, various articles made of these metals, as well as of iron and
bronze, were used as money, while among primitive societies commodities such as shells,
beads, elephant tusks, furs, skins, and livestock served as mediums of exchange.

2. CREDIT MONEY is paper backed by promises by the issuer, whether a government or a bank, to
pay an equivalent value in the standard monetary metal, such as gold or silver.

3. FIAT MONEY – is a paper money that is not redeemable in any other type of money and the
value of which is fixed merely by government edict.

• PARTS OF A PHILIPPINE PAPER BILL

1. MAINPRINT - Can be felt by our fingers

Genuine: The fingers will readily feel the main print on the front & back on fairly new notes. This
is due to the measurable thickness of the ink deposited on the paper which gives the prints an
embossed effect.

Counterfeit: The fingers will hardly feel the main prints of the front & back even on new notes.
The prints are mere stains on the coating of the sensitized paper which is glossy.

2. PORTRAIT – picture of the person.

 Genuine: Appears life-like. The eyes sparkle. The tiny dots and lines (vignette) forming the
details of the face, hair, etc. are clear, sharp and well defined. Each portrait stands out distinctly from
background. This is noticeable along the shoulders.

Counterfeit: It appears blurred, dull, smudgy and poorly printed. The lines are thick with rough
edges.

3. WATERMARK - a hidden image of the national hero that is the same with the portrait appearing in
the paper bill. This is revealed when the paper money is subjected to ultraviolet light.

Genuine: The watermark underneath the security lacework on the right hand side of the note is
the same on the colored portrait.

Dandy roll is a wire cylinder used in paper manufacture to produce a watermark

during the manufacture of the paper.

Counterfeit: This is imitated by printing white ink or dry block on the finished paper. Sometimes
wax or other oily medium is stamped to give transparency to the portion where the designing appears.

4. METTALIC THREAD – the threadlike in a bill

Genuine: This is a special thread placed vertically on the paper during manufacture. On the
surface of the paper where this thread is located are patterns of short vertical lines.

Counterfeit: Printing is made on the back of the note, on the inner side of the paper, insertion of
twin thread or simply folding the note vertically where the thread appears on the genuine bill.

5. COLORED FIBERS OR SECURITY FIBERS – These are colored red and blue which are scattered on the
surface of the paper (front and back) at random & can be readily picked off by means of any pointed
instrument.

Genuine: It has typical banknote crackle when agitated by the fingers.

Counterfeit: is simulated by printed lines, can not be picked off, but can be easily erased with
ordinary rubber or by agitating with wet fingers.

6. LACEWORK DESIGN – it is multi-colored that embellishes the portrait, value panels and vignette that
is put in vertical manner. It contains the amount of the paper bill that could be revealed more with
ultraviolet light.

Genuine: The geometric pattern which looks like a delicate lacework along the border on both
surfaces, embellishing the portraits, value panel & vignettes are multicolored & composed of sharp lines
which are continuous & traceable even at the joints.

On counterfeit, these geometric patterns are often blurred, round on the edges & blotch on the
joints. Its continuity could not be traced. The color appears faded.

7. COLOR OF EACH DENOMINATION

Genuine notes have polychrome background with one predominant color for each
denomination. You should know whose portrait is/are printed on each bill.
PhP 1,000.00- Blue - Jose Abad Santos, Josefa - Llanes
Escoda, Vicente Lim

500.00- Yellow - Benigno S. Aquino

200.00- Green - Diosdado Macapagal

(Dark in one side and light in

another side)

100.00- Mauve - Manuel A. Roxas

50.00 - Red - Sergio Osmena

20.00 - Orange - Manuel L. Quezon

10.00 - Brown - Apolinario Mabini & Andres

Bonifacio

5.00- Green - Emilio Aguinaldo

8. SERIAL NUMBERS – composed of 2 letters and 6 figures that appear in both sides on the front page of
the paper bill. Serial numbers can also be revealed by ultraviolet light.

Genuine: The letters and numbers are clearly printed. They have peculiar style, uniform in size &
thickness. Spacing of the numbers is uniform & alignment is even.

On counterfeit, the letters & numbers are poorly printed. They are usually of different style. Most often,
they are unevenly spaced & poorly aligned. The numbers are too big or too small, too thick or too thin &
in certain cases shaded on the curves.

9. VIGNETTE – these are lines and dots that compose the portrait.

Genuine: The lines & dots are sharp. The varying color tone gives a bold look to the picture that
makes it stands out of the paper.

Counterfeit: Usually dull & poorly printed. It appears dirty. The lines are comparatively thicker
with rough edges.

PHILIPPINE COINS

• COINS – are metallic disks or small ingots, usually round, that are used as a medium of
exchange and also acquired and saved as a hobby. Coins have been in use for more than 2,600
years, and people have collected them for nearly as long.

• NUMISMATICS – is the technical name for the practice of collecting coins. Numismatics was
derived from the Greek word NOMISMA, meaning “COIN” or “CURRENCY.” Numismatics
includes the study of coins, banknotes, medals, tokens, and primitive forms of money.

• Governments and other official agencies issue billions of coins annually, and collecting coins is a
popular hobby around the world.
GENERAL METHODS OF MAKING COINS

1. CASTING is the most common method of making gold coins.

Plaster molds bearing an image of gold coins are filled (within a low temperature) with alloy
made with lead or tin. Some molds are used for high temperature metal such as copper or silver alloy.

2. STRIKING OR STAMPING is the making of an impression of a coin or metal blank by pressure.

GENUINE VS COUNTERFEIT COINS

GENUINE COINS show an even flow of metallic grains. The details of the profile, the seal of the Republic
of the Philippines, letterings & numerals are of high relief, so that it can be readily felt distinctly by
running the fingers on theses features. The beadings are regular & the readings are deep & even.

COUNTERFEIT (false/ forged) COINS feel greasy & appear slimy. The beading composed of tiny round
dots surrounding the genuine coin appear irregular & elongated depressions & are not sharp &
prominent as in the genuine. The letterings & numerals are low & worn out due to the lack of sharpness
of details. The readings are uneven & show signs of filing.

• WRITING MATERIALS

WRITING MATERIALS – Any material used primarily for writing or recording such as papers, cardboard,
board papers, Morocco paper, etc.

PAPER – These are sheets of interlaced fibers - usually cellulose fibers from plants, but sometimes from
cloth rags or other fibrous materials, that is formed by pulping the fibers and causing to felt, or mat, to
form a solid surface.

MACHINE PAPERMAKING

• A large papermaking machine at the Kraft paper mill in Missoula, Montana, converts wood pulp
into paper. The first successful papermaking machine was developed in the early 19th century
and improvements on newer machines continue to be developed.

KINDS OF PAPER

1. PAPYRUS – writing material used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans that was made
from the pith of the stem of a water plant called Sedge ( also known as Cyperus Paperus).
Papyrus came from the Latin word Papuros, meaning “Papyrus Plant,” that reaches 12-25 FT in
height.

2. PARCHMENT - a creamy or yellowish material made from dried and treated sheepskin,
goatskin, or other animal hide, formerly used for books and documents. This is widely used in
Perganum City, Anatolia during the 2nd century BC.

3. VELLUM – a paper which is high quality made from calfskin (fine leader), kidskin, or lambskin
(wooly pelt of a lamb).

Codex – early form of book, consisting of bound sheafs of handwritten pages.

 • In Morocco, these skins are drying after a period of curing in a salty brine. Leather is processed
animal skin. The processing steps include curing, hair removal, and chemical tanning to
preserve the skin.

INTERNATIONAL PAPER SIZES

Paper is usually sold by the ream in sheets of standard sizes. A ream of paper usually contains
500 sheets,

Book paper and newsprint for flat-plate printing are sold in reams of 500 sheets and in perfect
reams of 516 sheets. The most common book-paper size is OCTAVO (112 by 168 cm/44 by 66 in).

Newsprint for rotary-press printing comes in rolls of varying sizes; a typical roll of newsprint, as
used by large metropolitan newspapers in the United States, is 168 cm (66 in) wide and 7,925 m (26,000
ft) long, and weighs about 725 kg (1,600 lb).

DISCOLORATION OF PAPER

Discoloration is highly influenced by storage of the papers or documents in conditions like:

1. Process of oxidation by natural means

2. Exposure to dust and dirts.

3. Excessive heat temperature against the document.

4. Brown spots due to molds or intervention of insects that may affect the wear and tear of
document.

SYNTHETIC-FIBER PAPER

In 1955 papers were prepared from Nylon, Dacron, and Orlon fibers, and from blends of these
fibers with wood pulp.

Such papers are produced on conventional papermaking machinery and can be made with a
wide range of appearances and characteristics, from crisp stock resembling ordinary paper to drapable,
fabriclike materials.

Because of their unique properties, synthetic-fiber papers have many applications for which
ordinary paper is unsuitable, notably as electrical insulation, filtration material in air-conditioning
equipment, electrical tapes for sound recording, shoe fabrics, and interlining in clothing.

HISTORY OF PAPER

1. INTRODUCTION - Man has always sought to improve ways of communicating and recording
thoughts.

2. EARLY WRITING MATERIALS - Wax boards, leaves, bronze, silk, and clay tablets.

3. AD 105 - CAI LUN (also spelled as Ts’ai Lun) – the inventor of paper, a Chinese Court Official of
China during the time of Emperor Ho Ti.

4. The art of paper making was kept by the Chinese for 500 years.
 5. AD 610 - The Buddhist Monks spread the art of papermaking to Japan. It was the Japanese
people who invented Block Printing.

6. AD 751 - Chinese Vs Arab Armies War. The Chinese were defeated and many of them were
taken as prisoners. Some of the prisoners bargained for their release in a condition that they will
teach the Arabs the Secrets of paper making.

7. AD 1009-1244 - The first Paper Mill was built by the Arabs in Xativa, Spain. It took 400 years for paper
to traverse Europe.

8. AD 1338-1470 - French Monks began producing paper used in the production of holy texts.

9. AD 1411 - A flour mill was converted to Paper Mill in Germany.

10. AD 1588 – England also built its own Paper Mill and produced papers for its citizens.

11. AD 1680 –The first Paper Mill was also built in Culhuacan, Mexico.

12. AD 1690 – William Rittenhouse, a German immigrant to North America founded the first Paper Mill
in North America where the first American Paper Makers were trained.

13. AD 1719 – Rene Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur, after study, he suggested that paper could be made
from wood or trees.

14. AD 1798 – Nicholas Robert invented the first Paper Making Machine.

15. Robert's Machine was improved by the Fourdrinier Bothers: Henry Fourdrinier and Sealy
Fourdrinier, who in 1803 produced the first of the machines that bear their name.

16. AD 1850 – Friedrich Gottlob Keller, a German who devised the method of Paper Making from Wood
Pulp, however, it was of poor quality.

17. AD 1852 – Hugh Burgess, an Englishman who perfected the use of wood pulp by digesting the
wood with chemicals.

18. AD 1867 – C.B. Tilghman, an American Chemist, improved the process of paper making process
from wood by using Sulfites.

19. AD 1879 – C.F. Dahl, a Swede finally perfected the use of wood in the production of paper by adding
another chemical known as Sulfate.

20. 1880 – Hectograph was invented for copying manuscript by transferring it into a layer of gelatin
coated with glycerin.

21. AD 1883 – Charles Stillwell, invented a machine in making brown paper for groceries in Philadelphia.

22. 1895 – Carbon Paper became common when typewriter was introduced.

23. 1980 - Fax (Facsimile) Machine was invented and became available to many offices.

24. 1911 - Photostat was introduced capable of making copies of photographic documents.

25. 1938 - Chester Carison invented the Xerox Machine.

WRITING
INSTRUMENTS

Drawings by Pencil
(See until the end)

I forgot to tell you that the artist doesn’t have hands and the paintings were made by his mouth

Check his website

http://www.mouthart.com/mouthart/frame_story.html

WRITING MATERIALS

1. PEN – general term for ink-refilled writing materials.

2. BALL PEN – came from the Latin term “Penna” meaning feather. This refers to a writing instrument
with ball rotating at its nib purposely to equally spread its ink to the writing material.

3. FOUNTAIN PEN – popularly called today as “Sign pen.” This kind of pen usually has ink reservoir that
produces more ink as compared to ordinary pens.

4. FIBER TIP PEN – refers also to what is popularly called as “Pentel Pen.” This also contains ink
reservoir, where ink come from and passes to the synthesized fibers before it reaches the writing
material.

5. PENCIL – a writing material that has lead that is composed of graphite and clay and located in the
central part. The lead is covered by kaolin that is made up usually from wood mixed with chemicals to
served as binder.

6. LIQUID LEAD PENCIL – a ball point pencil with an erasable graphite ink introduced in 1955 but phased
out during the early 1960s.

7. QUILL PEN - writing instrument made from a feather with a sharpened tip, which is dipped in ink.
Used by Jose Rizal in writing “El Filibusterismo” and “Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not).”

8. STYLOGRAPHIC PEN – a kind of pen used by artist and draftsmen.

9. REYNOLDS PEN – an invention of Milton Reynolds in 1945 in New York, USA.

10. METAL PEN, GLASS PEN, PEN KNIFE – kinds of pen according to flourishing designs during
manufacture.

INK

• E Y E S’ BREAKER

INK
INK - is any liquid or viscous pigmented substance used for writing, printing, or drawing.

The composition and consistency of an ink vary according to the purpose for which it is used.

All inks, however, contain two rudimentary components:

1. a pigment, or dye, called a colorant; and

2. a vehicle, a liquid into which the colorant is dispersed.

The more common types of ink include:

1. - writing inks,

2. - drawing inks,

3. - printing inks, and

4. - invisible, or sympathetic inks.

Many inks differ from paints only in the purposes for which they are used.

Different Inks

1. Carbon ink – is also known as Indian Ink and Chinese Ink which is known as the oldest form of ink.

2. Log-wood Inks - They were made from an aqueous extract of logwood chips and potassium chromate
type in 1848.

3. Iron Gallotanate Inks – the popular version of this is the “blue and black ink,” which is the greatest
number of commercial ink today. This kind of ink turns to brown after sometime due to its corrosive
properties in the ink.

4. Nigrosine Ink – also known as Aniline, Indulin, or Black aniline. This is a colored ink that is composed
of synthethic dyes. Discovered by the Perkins in 1885 and first used by the Britons in 1878.

5. Copperas Ink – an aqueous decoction of an iron salt, hydrated with Ferrous Sulfate.

6. Dyestuff Inks - composed of aqueous solutions of synthetic dyestuffs, to which a preservative and a
flux are added.

7. Alkaline Writing Inks - These are quick drying inks which possess a ph from 9 to about 11.

8. Super chrome inks - were already obtainable since 1950. The ink that contains phthalocyanine used in
the determination of the age of a document.

9. Skrip Ink - is manufactured by W.A. Chaffer Pen Company since 1955. It contains a substance which
is colorless in visible light and has a strong affinity for the fibers of the paper, and yet is not bleached by
hypochlorite ink eradicators or washed out by soaking on water.

10. Stamp Pad Inks - Made with the acid of substances such as glycerol, glycol, acetin or benzyl alcohol
and water. Airline dyes are added as coloring matter. For quick drying stamp pad inks, more volatile
organic solvents are used as acetone, ethanol, etc.
11. Typewriter Ribbon Inks - These inks are usually composed of a blend of aniline dyes, carbon black
and oil such as olein or castor oil. The two-tone ribbons however contain no dyes, but pigments
suspended in oil base.

12. Canceling Inks - These inks often contain carbon and this fact should be borne in mind when it is
required to decipher faint cancellation marks on a postage stamp and wrappers.

HENRY STEVEN – he patented the blue-black ink which is widely used this century.

• TYPEWRITER

TYPEWRITER - is a machine designed to print or impress type characters on paper, as a speedier and
more legible substitute for handwriting.

Since the introduction of practical typewriters in the 1870s, the machines have come into universal use
and have played an important part in the development of modern business and in the great
dissemination of written and printed information that has characterized the 20th century.

Typewriting Examination Objectives:

1. To identify the manufacturer and model of the typewriter.

2. To identify a specific typewriter.

3. To prove that changes in the document were with a typewriter other than the one used to type
the original document.

4. To establish a limit that can be placed on the age of a document by showing that the machine
was not manufactured before a certain year.

There are three main questions asked of document examiners in relation to typewriting

1. Were the documents typed on the same typewriter?

2. What make and model of typewriter was used to prepare the documents?

3. When was the typewritten document prepared?

Typewriting Examination

1. The design, size and proportions of each of the characteristics

2. The relation of each character as printed to adjacent characters, or its vertical and horizontal
alignment.

3. The vertical position of the character in relation to the line of writing, that is, its perpendicular,
or slants to the left or right.

4. The comparative weight of impression of the upper, lower, right or left sides of each character,
or as the machine adjusts describe it, hoe the type stands “on the feet” or “off its feet”.

5. The condition of the type faces of all the letters and characters and the presence of defects,
bruises or scars due to wear or to accidents.
EARLY TYPEWRITERS

1. The first recorded attempt to produce a writing machine was made by the British inventor Henry Mill,
who obtained a British patent by Majesty Queen Anne on January 7, 1714.

2. The next patent issued for a typewriter was granted to the American inventor William Austin Burt of
Detroit, Michigan in 1829 for a machine with type arranged on a semicircular wheel.

3. In 1833 a French patent was given to the French inventor Xavier Progin for a machine that embodied
for the first time one of the principles employed in modern typewriters: the use for each letter or
symbol of separate typebars, actuated by separate lever keys.

CHRISTOPHER LATHAM SHOLES

- has developed the Sholes and Glidden Typewriter on June 23, 1867 that only impress
uppercase letters.

- He is credited as the US inventor of typewriter. His typewriters were developed by other

inventors.

Mr. Sholes was:

- born on February 14, 1819 at

Pensylvannia, USA

- died on February 17, 1890 in Milwaukee.

4. CHARLES GROVER THURBER – an American Inventor Made use of the device used for moving the
paper between letters and between lines on almost all modern typewriters is a cylindrical platen,
against which the paper is held firmly. The platen moves horizontally to produce the spacing between
lines.

5. Several other inventors attempted to produce machines designed to make embossed impressions
that could be read by the blind. One such machine, developed by the American inventor Alfred Ely
Beach in 1856.

6. A similar machine created by the American inventor Samuel W. Francis, and patented by him in 1856,
had a circular arrangement of typebars, a moving paper holder, a bell that rang to signal the end of a
line, and an inked ribbon.

The Remington Typewriter

1. During the 1850s and '60s many inventors tried to produce a workable typewriter, but none
succeeded.

2. Until 1868, when three American inventors:

a. Christopher Latham Sholes;

b. Carlos Glidden;

c. Samuel W. Soulé,
 … Patented a writing machine. Early in 1873 they contracted with E. Remington & Sons
of Ilion, New York, manufacturers of rifles and sewing machines, to produce their typewriter. The first
Remington typewriter produced for Sholes and Glidden came off the line in September 1873.

3. The Early Remingtons wrote only in capital letters, but in 1878 the carriage shift was made possible
by two inventions:

a. One was a key and lever that moved the carriage a short distance down for printing
the capitals;

b. lever that moved the carriage to its original position for printing the lowercase, or
small, letters.

The other was the double key, with capital and lowercase letters mounted on the same
typebars. The introduction of the shift and double keying permitted the addition of numbers and other
symbols without increasing the size of the keyboard.

TYPEWRITERS AFTER SHOLES AND GLIDDEN

Following the success of the Sholes-Glidden-Remington machine, many new models of

typewriters were invented, but few of them proved to be of any enduring worth, and most were
discarded.

Among the typewriters that proved successful in the U.S. were the Underwood, L. C. Smith,
Royal, and Woodstock.

1920s: THE NOISELESS TYPEWRITER COMPANY introduced the so-called SILENT TYPEWRITERS, that
uses softer roller. This came into use after World War I, used a lever system for actuating the typebars,
but relied on pressure rather than a striking motion to make the type impression, reducing the noise of
operation.

ELECTRIC TYPEWRITERS - have been in extensive use since 1925. In these machines a motor-driven
mechanism performs the actual work of lifting the typebar and striking it against the ribbon, and also of
returning the carriage to the right and turning the platen at the end of the line.

MARK TWAIN (Samuel Clemens, in true life) – was the first author to publish a novel in a typed form.
The title was “Life at Mississippi” in 1883.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF TYPEWRITER AS TO TYPEFACE

PICA – a type of typewriter that may contain atleast 10 characters in an inch. It has bigger characters as
compared to elite typewriters.

ELITE – another type of typewriter in which in a horizontal inch may contain atleast 12 characters.

TERMS ON TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

 1. ALIGNMENT DEFECT – the presence of twisted letters, horizontal and vertical mal-alignment,
which can be corrected by special adjustments to the typebar.

2. CLOGGED TYPEFACE – refers to the dirty typefaces that may alter the formation or design of
letters.

3. ESCAPEMENT – also known as PITCH. Refers to the abnormal/ uneven spacing of letters in a
typed document.

4. MACHINE DEFECT – any defect of the typewriting resulting from the malfunctioning of the
machine rather than the typebar or type element.

5. OFF-ITS-FEET – the condition of a typeface or letter heavier on one side or corner than the
remainder of its outline.

6. REBOUND – a defect in which a character prints a double impression with the lighter part
slightly offset to the right or left.

7. TRANSITORY DEFECT – refers to the condition of a typewriter which has dirty typefaces, and
clogged parts that may affect the quality of the characters printed.

8. TYPEFACE DEFECT – refers to the actual damage, usually a break to the typeface of a typewriter.

QUESTIONED DOCUMENT TIMELINE

1609 – The first treatise on systematic document examination was published by a French author Francis
Demelle.

1810 – The first recorded questioned document analysis occurred in Germany. A chemical test for a
particular ink dye was applied to a document known as Konigin Hanschritt.

1882 – Gilbert Thompson, a railroad builder of the US Geological Survey in New Mexico put his own
thumbprint on wage shits to safeguard himself from forgeries.

1894 – Alfred Dreyfus of France was convicted of treason based on a mistaken handwriting
identification made by Alphonse Bertillon.

1910 – Albert S. Osborn, an American and arguably the most influential document examiner, published
his book entitled “Questioned Document.”

PREPARATION FOR
COURT TRIAL

The success of failure of a criminal prosecution usually depends upon the evidence presented to
the court. It is in the court that the investigator/ examiner present the evidence which he has collected.

The following are guide of the examiner to succeed:

1. Interview witnesses

2. Formulate course of actions

 3. Prepare the comparison chart chart – it contains the manner of presentation of evidence, list
of names of witnesses, what are the proposed questions to be asked?, includes documentary evidence.

4. Prepare trial brief on how to go about with the case.

5. Be familiar with the case.

6. Present witness and evidence

NOTE:

It is only the court that declares whether a witness is an expert or not.