NOTES IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION

I. GENERAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

DOCUMENT – Any material containing marks, symbols, or signs either visible, partially
visible that may present or ultimately convey a meaning to someone, maybe in the
form of pencil, ink writing, typewriting, or printing on paper.

The term “document” applies to writings; to words printed, lithographed, or

photographed; to maps or plans; to seals, plates, or even stones on which inscriptions
are cut or engraved. In its plural form, “documents” may mean; deeds, agreements,
title, letters, receipts, and other written instruments used to prove a fact.

Latin word “documentum”, means “lesson, or example (in Medieval Latin “instruction,
or official paper”), OR French word “docere”, means to teach.

According to Microsoft Encarta Reference Library (as a noun):

- formal piece of writing
- object containing information
- computer file

As a verb, Microsoft Encarta gives the following definition:

- record information in or on media
- support a claim with evidence

QUESTIONED. – Any material which some issue has been raised or which is under
scrutiny.

QUESTIONED DOCUMENT. – One in which the facts appearing therein may not be
true, and are contested either in whole or part with respect to its authenticity, identity,
or origin. It may be a deed, contract, will, election ballots, marriage contract,
check, visas, application form, check writer, certificates, etc.

DISPUTED DOCUMENT – A term suggesting that there is an argument or controversy

over the document, and strictly speaking this is true meaning. In this text, as well as
through prior usage, however, “disputed document” and “questioned document” are
used interchangeably to signify a document that is under special scrutiny.

STANDARD a.k.a. STANDARD DOCUMENT – 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.

"Standard" in questioned documents investigation, we mean those things whose

origins are known and can be proven and which can be legally used as examples
to compare with other matters in question. Usually a standard consist of the known
handwriting of a person such case, "standard" has the same meaning as is
understood by the word "specimen" of handwriting.

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EXEMPLAR – A term used by some document examiners and attorneys to
characterize known material. Standard is the older term.

HOLOGRAPHIC DOCUMENT – Any document completely written and signed by one

person; also known as a holograph. In a number of jurisdictions a holographic will can
be probated without anyone having witnessed its execution.

REFERENCE COLLECTION – 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.

II. LEGAL ASPECT OF DOCUMENTS

A. LEGAL BASIS OF DOCUMENTS:

 In the case of People vs. Moreno, CA, 338 O.G. 119: any written document by
which a right is established or an obligation is extinguished.

 In the case of People vs. Nillosquin, CA, 48 O.G. 4453: every deed or instrument
executed by person by which some disposition or agreement is proved, evidenced
or setforth.

 In relation to Criminal Jurisprudence under the Best Evidence rule: any physical
embodiment of information or ideas; e.g. a letter, a contract, a receipt, a book of
account, a blur print, or an X-ray plate (Black’s Law Dictionary).

B. KINDS OF DOCUMENT:

PUBLIC DOCUMENT - notarized by a notary public or competent public official with

solemnities required by law.(Cacnio vs. Baens, 5 Phil. 742)

OFFICIAL DOCUMENT - 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.

PRIVATE DOCUMENT - 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 (US vs Orera, 11 Phil. 596).

COMMERCIALN.B.DOCUMENT
- A private document
- executed may with
in accordance become
the Codea ofpublic or or
Commerce
official document when it partakes the nature of a public
any Mercantile Law, containing disposition of commercial rights or obligations. or
official record. So if the falsifications committed on such
document that is, when it is already a part of the public
record, falsification of public or official document is
committed. However, if such private document is intended to
become a part of the public record, even though falsified
prior thereto, falsification of a public document is committed. 2
III. WRITINGS WHICH DO NOT CONSTITUTE DOCUMENTS - based on some
Supreme Court Rulings.

 A draft of a Municipal payroll which is not yet approved by the proper authority
(People vs. Camacho, 44 Phil. 484).

 Mere blank forms of official documents, the spaces of which are not filled up
(People vs. Santiago, CA, 48 O.G. 4558).

 Pamphlets or books which do not evidence any disposition or agreement are not
documents but are mere merchandise (People vs. Agnis, 47 Phil. 945).

IV. CLASSES OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS:

1. Documents with questioned signatures.

2. Questioned documents alleged to have been containing fraudulent alterations.
3. Questioned or disputed holographic wills.
a. HOLOGRAPHIC WILL – will entirely written in the handwriting of the testator
b. NOTARIAL WILL – signed by the testator acknowledge before a notary public
with 3 witnesses.

4. Documents investigated on the question of typewriting.

a. with a view of ascertaining their source
b. with a view of ascertaining their date
c. with a view of determining whether or not they contain fraudulent alterations
or substituted pages.

5. Questioned documents on issues of their age or date.

6. Questioned documents on issues of materials used in their production.
7. Documents or writings investigated because it is alleged that they identify some
persons through handwriting.
a. anonymous and disputed letters, and
b. superscriptions, registrations and miscellaneous writings.

CHAPTER TWO

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 DOCUMENT AND QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

I. DEFINITION OF TERMS

ADDITION – Any matter made a part of the document after its original preparation may
be referred to as addition.

CONCLUSION – A scientific conclusion results form relating observed facts by logical,

common-sense reasoning in accordance with established rules or laws. The document
examiner's conclusion, in legal term is referred to as "opinion".

DOCUMENT EXAMINER – One who studies scientifically the details and elements of
documents in order to identify their source or to discover other facts concerning them.
Document examiners are often referred to as handwriting identification experts, but
today the work has outgrown this latter title and involves other problems than merely
the examination of handwriting.

ERASURE – The removal of writings, typewriting or printing, from a document is an

erasure. It maybe accomplished by either of two means. A chemical eradication in
which the writing is removed or bleached by chemical agents (e.g. liquid ink
eradicator); and an abrasive erasure is where the writing is effaced by rubbing with a
rubber eraser or scratching out with a knife or other sharp with implement.

EXAMINATION – It is the act of making a close and critical study of any material and
with questioned documents, it is the process necessary to discover the facts about
them. Various types are undertaken, including microscopic, visual photographic,
chemical, ultra violet and infra-red examination.

EXPERT WITNESS – A legal term used to describe a witness who by reason of his
special training or experience is permitted to express an opinion regarding the issue, or
a certain aspect of the issue, which is involved in a court action. Hi purpose is to
interpret technical information in his particular specialty in order to assist the court in
administering justice. The document examiner testifies in court as an expert witness.

HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION EXPERT – A common name for the document

examiner.

IDENTIFICATION (Identity) – As used in this text it is the state of being identical or

absolutely the same as in similarity of source or authorship of the questioned document
and the standard document.

INSERTION OR INTERLINEATION – The e term "insertion" and "interlineations"

include the addition of writing and other material between lines or paragraphs or the
addition of whole page to a document.

NON-IDENTITIFICATION (Non-identity) – As used in this text it means that the

source or authorship of the compared questioned and standard specimens is different.
OBLITERATION – The blotting out or shearing over the writing to make the original
invisible to as an addition.

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OPINION – In legal language, it refers to the document Examiner's conclusion. Actually
in Court, he not only expresses an opinion but demonstrates the reasons for
arriving at his opinion. Throughout this text, opinion and conclusion are used
synonymously.

QUALIFICATION – The professional experience, education, and ability of a document

examiner. Before he is permitted to testify as an expert witness, the court must rule
that he is qualified in his field.

II. RATIONALE

Generally, examination of questioned documents is restricted to “Scientific

Comparison” which means that determination of authenticity, genuineness, falsification
or forgery lies on the availability of known standards for comparison. After thorough
comparison, the following principle of identification is applied:

“When two items contain a combination of corresponding or similar

and specifically oriented characteristic of such number and significance as to
preclude the possibility of their occurrence by mere coincidence and there
are no unaccounted for differences, it may be concluded that they
are same in their characteristics attributed to the same cause.”

III. DIVISIONS OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

Criminalistics Examination – This involves the detection of forgery, erasure,

alteration or obliteration of documents.

Dr. Wilson Harrison, a noted British Examiner of questioned documents said that an
intelligent police investigator can detect almost 75% of all forgeries by careful
inspection of a document with simple magnifiers and measuring tools.

Handwriting Investigation/Analysis – This is more focused in determining the author

of writing. It is more difficult procedure and requires long study and experience.

IV. FORMS/ASPECTS (SUBJECTS) OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

A. Handwriting Examination (Graphology/Graphoanalysis)

1. examination of signatures and initials
2. examination of anonymous letters
3. hand printing examination
B. Examination of Typewritings and typeprints.
C. Examination of Inks

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D. Examination of Erasures, alterations or obliterations, etc.
1. Detection of alteration
2. Decipherment of erased writings
3. Restoration of obliterated writings
E. Counterfeiting
1. Examination of currency bills and coins and the like.
2. Examination of fake documents
F. Miscellaneous aspects
1. Determination of age of documents
2. Identification of stamps
3. Examinations of seal and other authenticating devices

V. DOCUMENT EXAMINATION (In General)

A. VALUE –

1. In the commission of a crime, the criminal often finds it necessary to employ one
or more documents in furtherance of his act.
2. In some crimes, such as forgery, the document is an integral part of the crime.
3. In others, such as false claims against government, documents often play an
important part in proving the commission of the crime.
4. Proof of the fact that a document was altered or made by a particular individual
may show that:
a. He committed the crime.
b. He had knowledge of the crime.
c. He was present in a certain locality at a specified time.

B. PURPOSE – A document may be examined to know the following:

a. Identity of the author.

b. True contents of the document.
c. Origin of the instrument or paper used in making the document.
d. Alterations or erasures which have been made.
e. Authenticity of the document.

VI. THE LOGICAL PROGRESS OF INQUIRY IN DOCUMENT EXAMINATION.

A. FIRST - ASCERTAIN THE FACTS: to select "QUESTIONED", "DENIED" or

"ADMITTED", "AUTHENTIC", and "DOUBTFUL" documents.

1. Concerning the Document in Questioned.

a. Is only one signature in questioned?

b. Is any part of the document in question?
c. Is the date of the document in questioned?
d. Is the paper or the typewriter used in the document in questioned? Etc.
2. Regarding the Standards:

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 a. Make sure that there are sufficient numbers of authentic documents for
comparison submitted. If there are inadequate standards, obtain more.
b. Determine whether the standards are authentic ones, on which a foundation
can be built for admitting them in evidence.

B. SECOND - ANALYZE THE DETAILS: Synthesize the elements, date,

circumstances, conditions, technical problems and the like.

1. The examiner after ascertaining the facts, should have detailed information as to
the circumstances of the document in questioned, the condition of an alleged
writer, or of any condition that may have affected the writing or typewriting or any
facts that are part of the technical problem with the document that is submitted to
the expert.

2. He should inquire about the circumstances and conditions as far as the client
knows, such as; was the document signed sitting on the wall, on the lap, or lying in
bed? Sitting on bed, lying on his back or side? For example, a document could
have been signed in a moving automobile or while having a drink at the bar.

C. THIRD - QUALIFY THE CASE:

1. How much time is needed for the examination?

2. Is it possible to complete the study from the original papers, or is it necessary
to make special photo-enlargements for proper examination?
3. If it is possible to make arrangements with the client for photo-enlargement, is
it advisable to do so?
4. Photo-enlargements are always useful for demonstrating the reasons on
which the opinion is based, especially in Court.

VII. SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION:

A. Analysis (Recognition) – properties or characteristics, observed or measured.

B. Comparison – Properties or characteristics of the unknown determined
thought analysis are now compared with the familiar or recorded properties of
known items.
C. Evaluation – Similarities or dissimilarities in properties or characteristics will each
have a certain value for identification, determined by its likelihood of occurrence.
The weight or significance of each must therefore be considered.

VIII. CRITERION FOR SCIENCE

A. Accuracy – correspondence between results obtained and the truth.

B. Precision – measure of the consistency of results obtained in repeated study or
experimentation.

In scientific study of signatures/handwritings, we learn the basic facts

and then reason carefully and logically from these facts according to
established and recognized rules in order to form an opinion or conclusion
as to whether a questioned signature/handwriting is genuine or forged.
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IX. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF DOCUMENTS

It is the initial examination conducted on a document to determine whether it is

genuine or not. It is not a misnomer, for in reality it consists of painstaking analysis
more than looking at a document and expressing an off-hand opinion.

A. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED

DOCUMENT:
1. ensures preparedness;
2. avoidance of delay; and
3. ensures success of the case.

B. Principal points for consideration in the PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION of

questioned documents. Please note that these questions may not be applicable in
every case.

1. Is the signature genuine?

2. Is the signature in a natural position?
3. Are the signatures of the witnesses genuine and were they written in the order as
they appear?
4. Does the signature touch the other writings? Or was it written last?
5. Are there remains of pencil or carbon marks which may have been an outline for
the signature of other writings?
6. Is the signature shown in an embossed form on the back of the sheet?
7. Is the writings written before the paper was folded?
8. Is the signature written before or after the paper was folded?
9. Is more than one kind of ink used in the preparation of the document?
10. Are the several sheets of the document exactly the same sizes, thickness and
colors?
11. Is the paper torn, burned or mutilated in any way, and if so, for what purpose?
12. Is the paper unnecessary soiled or crumpled?
13. Does the document contain abrasion, chemical/pencil erasures, and
alterations/substitutions of any kind?
14. Does the document show abrasion, erasure or lack of continuity when viewed by
transmitted light?
15. Has the document been wet in any way and if so, for what purpose?
16. If typewritten, are the contents of the document all written on the same machine?
17. Was each sheet written continuously at one time without being removed from the
typewriter?
18. Are there added figures, words, clauses, sentences, paragraphs or pages written
on a different typewriter?
19. Do the perforations agree with the stubs from which the alleged document came?
20. If the document is a carbon copy, does it conform in the size, position, and
arrangement of matters with original letterheads?

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21. If the document is a letter, does postmark, postage stamps, manner of sealing and
opening of envelope have any significance?
22. Are there indentations in the paper from handwriting or typewriting on a sheet
placed above the paper examined?
23. Is the rubber-stamp impression if any appears made from a genuine stamp?
24. Is the attached seal of proper date or the seal impression made from a genuine
seal and is it made in proper sequence?

C. Who Conducts the Preliminary Examination? – It should be conducted by a

QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXPERT.

D. Who is a Questioned Document Expert? A Questioned Document Expert is one

who has:
1. Attained the appropriate education and training;
2. Sufficient knowledge on the technical, scientific, and legal aspects of
document examinations; and
3. A broad experience in handling questioned document cases.

E. REASONS FOR UTILIZING A QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXPERT:

1. Assurance of preparedness;
2. Trial fiscal or judges are infrequently confronted with document cases;
consequently, they do not possess the knowledge of the documents
expert's ability of the various methods that exist for determining forgeries.
3. Avoidance of an “OFF-HAND” opinion.

F. What is an “OFF-HAND OPINION”? Off-hand opinion is usually a conclusion

that is not based on thorough scientific examination.

G. THE DANGER OF OFF-HAND OPINIONS - It has happened in some cases that

an off-hand opinion, has sent an innocent man to prison, while a murderer was
given a chance to escape.

X. INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS USED IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENT

EXAMINATIONS

A. MAGNIFYING LENS – Bank personnel and other people involved in currency

examinations usually use and ordinary hand-lens; the maximum diameter of which
is four inches, and this appears big with its wide frame it has a magnifying power
of two times the original only. Magnifying lenses of five times or more magnifying
power, with built-in-lighting are more useful.

B. SHADOWGRAPH – A pictorial image formed by casting a shadow, usually of the

hands, upon a rightful surface or screen.

C. STEREOSCOPIC BINOCULAR MICROSCOPE – A tri-dimensional (3D)

enlargement is possible.
D. MEASURES AND TEST PLATES (TRANSPARENT GLASS) – Those used for
signatures and typewritings.

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E. TABLE LAMPS WITH ADJUSTABLE SHADES (Goose Neck Lamps) – Used for
controlled illumination; needed in sidelight examination wherein light is placed at a
low-angle in a position oblique to plane or document.

F. TRANSMITTED LIGHT GADGET – A device where light comes from beneath or

behind glass on document is placed.

G. ULTRA VIOLET LAMP – This is usually used in the detection of counterfeited bills
but can actually be used to detect security features of qualified documents.

H. INFRARED VIEWER – Primarily used to decipher writings in a charred document.

I. COMPARISON MICROSCOPE – Similar to that of the bullet comparison

microscope.

XI. TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS:

A. MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION – Any examination or study which is made with

the microscope in order to discover minute physical details. Stereoscopic
examination with low and high power objectives is used to detect retouching,
patching and unnatural pen-lift in signature analysis.

With proper angle and intensity or illumination, it aids in the decipherment of

erasures, some minute manipulations not perfectly pictured to the unaided eye
and the sequence of entries done by different writing instruments.

B. TRANSMITTED LIGHT EXAMINATION – In this examination, the document is

viewed with the source of illumination behind it and the light passing through the
paper. Documents are subjected to this type of examination to determine the
presence of erasures, matching of serrations and some other types of alterations.

C. OBLIQUE LIGHT EXAMINATION – An examination with the illumination so

controlled that it grazes or strikes the surface of the document from one side at a
very low angle. Decipherment of faded handwriting, determination of outlines in
traced forgery, embossed impressions, etc. are subjected to this type of
examination.

D. PHOTOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION – This type of examination is very essential in

every document examination. Actual observations are recorded in the
photographs.

E. ULTRA-VIOLET EXAMINATION – Ultraviolet radiation is invisible and occurs in

the wave lengths just below the visible blue-violet end of the spectrum (rainbow).
These visible rays react on some substances so that visible light is reflected, a
phenomenon known as FLOURESCENCE.
This type of examination is done in a darkroom after the lamp has been
warmed up in order to give a maximum output of the ultra-violet light. Exposure to
the ultra-violet light should be to the minimum duration in order to avoid fading of
some writing ink and typewriter ribbon.

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F. INFRARED EXAMINATION – This examination of documents employs
invisible radiation beyond the red portion of the visible spectrum (rainbow) which is
usually recorded on a specially sensitized photographic emulsion.

XII. PHOTOGRAPHY AND QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

PURPOSES OF PHOTOGRAPHS IN QDE:

1. serve as record of the initial condition of a disputed document;

2. make clear what otherwise may be hidden or indistinct;
3. enlarge a writing in question so that every quality and characteristics of it can be
clearly and properly interpreted whether the facts so shown point to genuineness
or to forgery;
4. enable any number of accurate reproductions of document, thus affording
unlimited opportunity for study, comparison and evaluation by any number of
examiners, which would not be possible by using the document alone;
5. allow cutting apart as may be desired and the various parts classified for
comparisons;
6. can show delicate discolorations due to chemical erasures or other fraudulent
changes, which may otherwise be overlooked, or misinterpreted;
7. can show very clearly any erasures by abrasions made by ordinary rubber eraser
and it can record in permanent form with the paper placed obliquely to the plane of
the lens and plate and inclined at just right angle of reflection so as to show
differences in the reflected light from different portions of the paper surface; and
8. with transmitted light, photographs is useful in:
a. examination of watermarks
b. determining the identity, or the differences in paper by showing arrangement
of the fibers and the markings of the wire gauze and dandy roll
c. showing the continuity of strokes and
d. determining retouching or patching of a writing by showing clearly the
presence of added ink film and the uneven distribution of ink in interrupted
strokes.

XIII. MISCELLANEOUS EXAMINATIONS:

A. ERASURES – One of the common inquiries in questioned document is whether

or not an erasure was actually made on a document. In cases like this, the
following examinations are made:

1. Physical inspection: using ultraviolet light, observation with light striking the
surface at a sharp angle, and observation under the microscope maybe
considered.
2. Fuming with iodine may cause an almost negligible stain, but in most
instances not the slightest semblance of a stain remains.
B. INDENTED WRITING – Intended writing is a term usually applied to the partially
visible depressions appearing on a sheet of paper underneath the one on which
the visible writing appears. These depressions or indentation are due to the
application of pressure on the writing instrument and would appear as a carbon

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 copy if a sheet of carbon paper had been properly inserted. Indentation may also
appear on a blank sheet of paper if such is used as a backing sheet while typing
out a message on a typewriter. Methods of examination are:

1. Physical methods maybe used by passing a strong beam of nearly

parallel light almost horizontally over the surface of the paper.
2. Fuming the document maybe of values in some cases.
3. Powders of various kinds maybe used without changing the document.

C. BURNED OR CHARRED PAPER – A piece of paper maybe subjected to the

action of a limited amount of heat, causing it to become scorched and retaining a
certain amount of its identity or it maybe subjected to intense heat, reducing it to
ashes and losing its identity. However, if the combustion is incomplete, a certain
amount of success maybe realized provided the pieces are large enough to form a
coherent message.

The following methods maybe applied to decipher the original message

contained thereon:

1. Photographic methods, using various types of filters and different angles of

illumination may determine the writing contained thereon without changing the
appearance of the charred fragments.

2. Chemical methods, such as spraying, painting, or bathing charred pieces with

solutions of different chemical reagents.

3. Photographic plates maybe utilized by allowing the charred paper to remain in

contact with the emulsion sides in total darkness from one to two weeks.

D. ADDING MACHINES – The construction of an adding machine differs greatly

from the typewriter but the methods and principles of identification are related.

Manufacturers use different types of numerals and from time to time change
their design. The spacing between columns is also not standardized for all
machines. Those factors form the basis of determining the make of the machine
and for estimating the period in which it was built.

Another kind of approach is the ribbon impression, for the ribbon is made and
operates very similarly to the typewriter.

Adding machines are not all alike and technical case study
leads to the discovery of identifying factors.

XIV. HANDLING OF DOCUMENTS AND QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

A. THE CARE OF DISPUTED DOCUMENTS AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE:

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1. It is a basic requirement, that when a document becomes disputed and deposited
in court or with the attorney, in order to maintain its original condition, it should
be kept UNFOLDED AND IN A SEPARATE, PROPER SIZE ENVELOPE OR
FOLDER. This is true not only for the disputed documents, but for many other
important documentary evidence.

2. It is also advisable that right after the document becomes disputed, or

questioned, it is important to make not only the usual photo static copy (Xerox),
but also a proper photograph or photo-enlargement, done if possible by the
document expert or under the supervision of the document expert.

3. When working in the preparation of case, it is often necessary for the

lawyer or court to handle repeatedly the disputed document. Should this
be necessary, instead of handling and working with the original document,
the photograph should be used.

4. Every touching, folding, refolding or pointing to certain parts of a document, can

change the physical condition of the case. For example, touching with wet hands
or fingers can create smearing in the ink, pointing with a pencil can leave
marks that create a suspicion of previous pencil marks, or experiments as proof of
attempted forgery.

5. Pointing a document with any other instruments, such as sharp stick, can cause
slight damage which although it can not be seen by the naked eye, can show
definite marks under the microscope or on the enlarged photograph.

6. No test should be made to alter the conditions of the document; for example, the
old-fashioned ink test, which was used to determine the age of the ink-writing.

7. Should any test be necessary, insist that it should be done in the presence of a
chemist, or in court, or in front of both parties involved the case.

B. DO's and DON'T's in the CARE, HANDLING AND PRESERVATION OF

DOCUMENTS

1. “DO’S”

a. Take disputed papers to Document Examiner's Laboratory at the First

Opportunity.
b. If storage is necessary, keep in dry place away from excessive heat strong
light.
c. Maintain in consequential document, unfolded and in transparent plastic
envelope or evidence preserver.

2. “DONT’S”

a. Do not underscore, make careless markings, fold, erase, impress rubber

stamps, sticker, write on, or otherwise alter any handwriting.

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 b. Do not smear with fingerprints powder or chemicals.
c. Do not carry handwriting document carelessly in wallet, notebook or brief case
on grounds of interviews.
d. Do not handle disputed papers excessively or carry then in pocket for a long
time.
e. Do not marked disputed documents (either by consciously writing
instruments or dividers)
f. Do not mutilate or damage by repeated refolding, creasing, cutting, tearing or
punching for filing purposes.
g. Do not allow anyone except qualified specialist to make chemical or other
tests; do no treat or dust for latent finger prints before consulting a document
examiner.

C. HANDLING CHARRED DOCUMENTS:

1. Those extremely fragile must be handled as little as possible and transporting

them to the laboratory requires extra-ordinary care. With forethought and caution
they can be brought from the distant fire scene to the laboratory.

2. They should be moved in the container in which they are found whenever
possible. When the fragments are not packed tightly, they should be padded with
lightweight absorbent cotton. If jarring can not be entirely eliminated jarring the box
must be kept to a minimum.

3. Thus every precaution must be taken in handling and transporting the charred
residue in order to prevent the large pieces from becoming unnecessarily and
badly broken. The fragment must be held firmly without crushing and prevent
movement or shifting when finally packed in a sturdy container.

CHAPTER THREE
HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND EXAMINATION:

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HANDWRITING – It is the result of a very complicated series of facts, being used as
whole, combination of certain forms of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by
long, continued painstaking effort. Some defined handwriting as “visible speech.”

I. KINDS OF WRITINGS:

A. Cursive – connected; writing in which one letter is joined to the next.

B. Script – separated or printed writing.
C. BLOCK – all CAPITAL LETTERS.

II. BASIS OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION:

A. In Wignore's Principles of judicial Proof, handwriting is defined as a visible

effect of bodily movement which is an almost unconscious expression of fixed
muscular habits, reacting from fixed mental impression of certain ideas
associated with script form.
B. Environment, education and occupation affect individuals so variously in the
formation of these muscular habits that finally the act of writing becomes an
almost Nautomatic succession of acts stimulated by these habits.
C. The imitation of the style of writing by another person becomes difficult
because the other person cannot by mere will power reproduce in himself all
the muscular combination from the habit of the first writer.

Is handwriting/signature identification an “exact science”? In

the hand of a qualified examiner operating under proper conditions,
identification by means of handwriting/signature is certain. Proper
conditions include:
1. sufficient questioned writing
2. sufficient known writing
3. sufficient time
4. use of scientific instruments

III. PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF HANDWRITING:

In writing the pen functions as an extension of the hand. The fingers transmit to the
paper, the directive impulse and the variation in muscular tension that according to the
nature of tie writer's nervous organization occur during the act or writing.

This center near the motor area of the cortex is responsible for the finger movement
involved in handwriting. The importance of this center is that when it becomes
diseased as in a graphic, one loses the ability to write although he could still grasp a
fountain pen, ball pen or pencil. Thus, the ability or power to hold a fountain pen or
pencil to form symbols and words can be said to emanate from its cortical center.
Two Groups of Muscles Involve in Handwriting:

1. extensor muscles - push up the pen to form the upward strokes

2. flexor muscles - which push the pen to from the downward strokes.

15
 Generally speaking, four groups of muscles are employed in writing - those which
operate the joints of the fingers, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. The delicate way in which
the various muscles used in writing work together to produce written form is known as
motor coordination.

IV. VARIATIONS IN HANDWRITING

A more or less definite pattern for each is stored away in the subjective mind but the
hand does not always produce a stereotyped duplicate of that pattern. The hand
ordinarily is not an instrument of precision and therefore we may not expect every
habitual manual operation to be absolutely uniform. The greater this skill in the art of
penmanship, the less the variations there will be in the form of individualize letters as
well as in the writing as a whole.

A. CAUSES OF VARIATION:

1. Function of some external condition i.e. influence of the available space.

2. Abnormal conditions such as physical injury, toxic effects, inebriation's, emotion
and deception.
3. Position of letter - all the letters are to be found initially, medially, and finally. The
fact of a different position, especially in combination with another and particular
letter, may modify any of them in some way or another.

B. IMPORTANCE OF VARIATION

1. Personal variation encountered under normal writing conditions is also a highly

important element of identification. The qualities of personal variation include both
its nature and its extent. It becomes necessary to determine the amount, extent,
and exact quality of the variations.
2. It is improbable that the variety and extent of the variation in handwriting will be
exactly duplicated in two individuals that such a coincidence becomes practically
impossible and this multitude of possible variations when combined is what
constitutes individuality in handwriting.
3. With a group of signatures of a particular writer, certain normal divergence in size,
lateral spacing and proportions actually indicate genuineness. Variation in genuine
writing is ordinarily in superficial parts and in size, proportions, degree of care
given to the act, design, slant, shading, vigor, angularity, roundness and direction
of stroke.

“The most common error in the identification of handwriting is due

to the fact that the evidence of actual forgery is executed on the
ground that there is variation in genuine writing.”

V. DEVELOPMENT OF HANDWRITING OF AN INDIVIDUAL

A. Children learn writing by following the school copy or model.

B. After acquiring some degree of skill the children no longer follow the school model.

16
C. As speed increases, conscious design and regularity begin to break down.
D. In the course of trial and error, modification are made, simplification and
elaborations, addition and omissions occur.
E. The writing pattern of each child embodies unique combinations of such deviation
from the standard letter forms or school model, and becomes his personal habits.
F. Although thousands learn the same system and that the natural result is
identity, but facts show that it is not because those who were taught the same
system or school copy a class of writers, but such impairs does not by any
means produce a slavish uniformity.
G. Variation begins as soon as writing begins and continues until each writer in the
way that seems best and easiest to him.

VI. SCHOOL COPYBOOK FORM (school model) – refers to the standard of

handwriting instruction taught in particular school. Classes of copybook depend on the
standard school copy adopted by a writer.

A. SYSTEMS of Early American Handwriting:

1. Old English round hand – in fact an Italian hand popular in 1840.

2. Modified round hand – early edition of the Spencerian, and the Payson,
Dunton, and Scribners copybook - 1840 -1860.
3. Spencerian – there is simplification by the omission of extra strokes and
flourishes. And a general tendency toward plainer letters than the preceding
system, some of which were very ornate - 1860-1890.
4. Modern Vertical writing 1890-1900
5. The arm movement writing – the manner or method of writing, instead of the
form alone is especially emphasized.

Out of these five divisions of early handwriting, the modern commercial hand
systems developed. This is characterized by free movement. And the forms adopted
are best suited to easy rapid writing. These are the Zaner and Blozer system of
arm movement writing and the Palmer system of American arm movement. The last
great revolution in American handwriting was the adoption of vertical writing which was
in fact a reversion to the old system of slow but legible writing. The connecting stroke
is based on the small circle and is the most distinctive "round hand" ever devised. It
was very slow compared with writing based on the narrow ellipse like the Spencerian in
which all connections were almost points instead of broad curves. Most commer-
cial handwritings tend toward straight connecting strokes and narrow connections.

B. SOME MODERN SCHOOL MODEL FORMS

1. Palmer Copybook – commonly used in the United States prior to 1980.

2. D’Nealian Copybook – commonly used in the United States since 1980
3. British Copybook
4. French Copybook
5. German Copybook
C. SIGNIFICANCE OF SCHOOL COPY FORMS or System Characteristics as
Basis in the Identification of Handwriting:

17
1. Similarities of form are not indicative of identity unless they concern unusual form
or what are termed deviations from the normal. Similarities are bound to occur in
different writings but such similarities exist only in letters which are normal in form,
the fact bears no significance.
2. All differences in form are indicated of non-identity
3. The likeness in form maybe general and simply indicate the class or genus or the
difference that does not differentiate maybe nearly superficial.
4. In many systems of writing, the date and influences of system of writing have an
important bearing on the question of genuine or of forgery and in other cases, the
presence of European characteristics in handwriting is a vital and controlling fact.

D. IMPORTANCE OF THE DESIGN OF THE LETTERS (System of Writing) – May

point:

1. to the nationality of the writer.

2. to the system learned.
3. to the date when the writing was acquired and
4. to some of the influences that have surrounded the writer.

VII. TERMINOLOGIES RELATED TO HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND

EXAMINATIONS

1. ALIGNMEN – Is the relation of parts of the whole of writing or line of individual

letters in words to the baseline. It is the alignment of words. The relative alignment
of letters.
2. ANGULAR FORMS – Sharp, straight strokes that are made by stopping the pen
and changing direction before continuing.
3. ARCADE FORMS – Forms that look like arches rounded on the top and open at
the bottom.
4. CHARACTERISTICS – Any property or mark which distinguishes and in
document examination commonly called to as the identifying details.
5. COLLATION – side by side comparison; collation as used in this text means
the critical comparison on side by side examination.
6. COMPARISON – the act of setting two or more items side by side to weigh their
identifying qualities; it refers not only a visual but also the mental act in which the
element of one item are related to the counterparts of the other.
7. DISGUISED WRITING – A writer may deliberately try to alter his usual writing
habits in hopes of hiding his identity. The results, regardless of their effectiveness
are termed disguised writing.
8. DOWNSTROKE – The movement of the pen toward the writer.
9. FORM – The writer’s chosen writing style. The way the writing looks, whether it
is copybook, elaborated, simplified or printed.
10. GARLAND FORMS – A cup-like connected form that is open at the top and
rounded on the bottom.
11. GESTALT – The German word that means “complete” or “whole”. A good gestalt
needs nothing added or taken away to make it “look right”. Also a school of
handwriting analysis that looks at handwriting as a whole picture.
12. GRAPHOANALYSIS – the study of handwriting based on the two fundamental
strokes, the curve and the straight strokes.
13. GRAPHOMETRY – analysis by comparison and measurement.

18
14. GRAPHOLOGY – the art of determining character disposition and amplitude of a
person from the study of handwriting. It also means the scientific study and
analysis of handwriting, especially with reference to forgeries and questioned
documents.
15. HANDLETTERING – Any disconnected style of writing in which each letter is
written separately; also called handprinting.
16. LEFT-HANDED WRITING – See “wrong hand writing.”
17. LETTER SPACE – The amount of space left between letters.
18. LINE DIRECTION – Movement of the baseline. May slant up, down, or straight
across the page.
19. LINE QUALITY – the overall character of the ink lines from the beginning to the
ending strokes. There are two classes: Good Line quality and Poor Line quality.
The visible records in the written stroke of the basic movements and manner of
holding the writing instrument is characterized by the term "line quality". It is
derived from a combination of actors including writing skill, speed rhythm, freedom
of movements, shading and pen position.
20. LINE SPACE – The amount of space left between lines.
21. MANUSCRIPT WRITING – A disconnected form of script or semi-script writing.
This type of writing is taught in young children in elementary schools as the first
step in learning to write.
22. MARGINS – The amount of space left around the writing on all four sides.
23. MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION – Any study or examination which is made with
the microscope in other to discover minute details.
24. MOVEMENT – It is an important element in handwriting. It embraces all the
factors which are related to the motion of the writing instrument skill, speed
freedom, hesitation, rhythm, emphasis, tremors and the like. The manner in which
the writing instrument is move that is by finger, hand, forearm or whole arm.
25. NATURAL WRITING – Any specimen of writing executed normally without any
attempt to control or alter its identifying habits and its usual quality or execution.
26. NATURAL VARIATION – These are normal or usual deviations found between
repeated specimens of any individual handwriting.
27. PEN EMPHASIS – The act of intermittently forcing the pen against the paper
surfaces. When the pen-point has flexibility, this emphasis produces shading,
but with more rigid writing points heavy point emphasis can occur in writing
w/out any evidence of shading; the act intermittently forcing the pen against the
paper with increase pressure.
28. PEN HOLD – The place where the writer grasps the barrel of the pen and the
angle at which he holds it.
29. PEN POSITION – r elationship between the pen point and the paper.
30. PEN PRESSURE – the average force with which the pen contacts the paper.
Pen pressure as opposed to pen emphasis deals with the usual of average force
involved in the writing rather than the period increases.
31. PRINTSCRIPT – A creative combination of printing and cursive writing.
32. PROPORTION or RATIO – the relation between the tall and the short letter is
referred as to the ratio of writing.
33. QUALITY – A distinct or peculiar character. Also, “quality” is used in describing
handwriting to refer to any identifying factor that is related to the writing movement
itself.
34. RHYTHM – The element of the writing movement which is marked by regular or
periodic recurrences. It may be classed as smooth, intermittent, or jerky in its

19
 quality; the flourishing succession of motion which are recorded in a written record.
Periodicity, alternation of movement.
35. SHADING – Is the widening of the ink strokes due to the added pressure on a
flexible pen point or to the use of a stub pen.
36. SIGNIFCANT WRITING HABIT – Any characteristic of handwriting that is
sufficiently uncommon and well fixed to serve as a fundamental point in the
identification.
37. SIMPLIFICATION – Eliminating extra or superfluous strokes from the copybook
model.
38. SIZE – May refer to the overall size of the writing or the proportions between
zones.
39. SKILL – In any set there are relative degrees or ability or skill and a specimen of
handwriting usually contains evidence of the writer's proficiency; degree, ability, or
skill of a write proficiency.
40. SLOPE/SLANT – the angle or inclination of the axis of the letters relative to the
baseline. There are three classes:
41. Slant to the left;
42. Slant to the right; and
43. Vertical Slant.
44. SPEED OF WRITING – The personal pace at which the writer’s pen moves
across the paper.
45. SPEED (SPEEDY) WRITING – Not everyone writes at the same rate so that
consideration of the speed of writing may be a significant identifying element.
Writing speed cannot be measured precisely from the finished handwriting but can
be interpreted in broad terms of slow, moderate, or rapid.
46. SYSTEM (OF WRITING) – The combination of the basic design of letters and the
writing movement as taught in school make up the writing system. Writing through
use diverges from the system, but generally retains some influence of the basic
training. See also copy book.
47. TENSION – The degree of force exerted on the pen compared to the degree of
relaxation.
48. THREADY FORM – An indefinite connective form that looks flat and wavy.
49. VARIABILITY – The degree to which the writing varies from the copybook model.
50. VARIATION – The act or process of changing.
51. WORD SPACE – T he amount of space left between words.
52. WRITING CONDITION – Both the circumstances under which the writing was
prepared and the factors influencing the writer’s ability to write at the time of
execution. It includes the writer’s position (sitting, standing, abed, etc.), the paper
support and backing, and the writing instrument; writing ability may be modified by
the condition of the writer’s health, nervous state, or degree of intoxication.
53. WRONG-HANDED WRITING – Any writing executed with the opposite hand that
normally used; a.k.a. as “with the awkward hand.” It is one means of disguise.
Thus, the writing of a right-handed person which has been executed with
his left hand accounts for the common terminology for this class of disguise as
"left-hand writing".
54. WRITING IMPULSE – The result of the pen touching down on the paper and
moving across the page, until it is raised from the paper.

VIII. MOVEMENT IN HANDWRITING

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A. KINDS OF MOVEMENT

1. Finger Movement – the thumb, the first, second and slightly the third fingers
are in actual motion. Most usually employed by children and illiterates.
2. Hand Movement – produced by the movement or action of the whole hand
with the wrist as the center of attraction.
3. Forearm Movement – the movement of the shoulder, hand and arm with the
support of the table.
4. Whole Forearm Movement – action of the entire arm without resting. i.e.,
blackboard writing.

B. QUALITY OF MOVEMENT

1. Clumsy, illiterate and halting

2. Hesitating and painful due to weakness and illness
3. Strong, heavy and forceful
4. Nervous and irregular
5. Smooth, flowing and rapid

C. SPEED - Slow and drawn; Deliberate; average; and rapid

D. DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS EMPLOYED AFFECT WRITING IN – Smoothness;

Directness; Uniformity; Continuity of strokes; and Connecting or curves between
letters

IX. MOTOR COORDINATION - The special way in which the various muscles
used in writing work together to produced written forms.

A. CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTOR COORDINATION:

1. Free, smelt rounded curves

2. Gradual changes of directions
3. Pressure is always in a state of change, moving from light to heavy or from
heavy to light.
4. Speed
5. The shading impulse is distributed over a considerable length of the line
whereas in writing produced with a slow motion as in the finger movement,
the shading often has a "bunchy" appearance, in which the maximum width of
the shaded line is attained abruptly.

B. FAULTY COORDINATION IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE FOLLOWING:

1. Wavering and very irregular line or strokes with uncertain and unsteady
progress. There is no freedom of movement along the strokes of the letter-
forms. The writing is obviously very slow and is typical of the writing of a

21
 young child or for any one who painstakingly draws a picture of an unfamiliar
form.
2. Angular Line - a very common fault of coordination. Curves, large and small
are not smoothly rounded and there is no gradual change of direction. On the
contrary, and angle marks almost every change are direction in the line.
Investigation has disclosed that angles are accompanied by a lessening of
writing speed.

X. Rhythm in Handwriting

Rhythm is a succession of connected, uniform strokes working in full coordination.

This is manifested by clear-cut accentuated strokes which increase and decrease in
which like perfect cones. Pressure is always in a state of change moving from light to
heavy or from heavy to light.

A. LACK OF RHYTHM - Characterized by a succession of awkward, independent,

poorly directed and disconnected motions.

B. IMPORTANCE OF RHYTHM - By studying the rhythm of the succession of

strokes, one can determine if the writer normally and spontaneously or write with
hesitation as if he is attempting to for another signature.

C. LETTER OF CONNECTIONS - Determine the essential expression of the

writing pattern. It is a mean indicator of the neuromuscular function. Words are
formed by connection letters to one another. Even letters are formed by the joining
of the upward and downward strokes. These types of connections are:

1. Arcade – a rounded stroke shaped like an arch. It is a slow mode of

connection resulting from controlled movements.

2. Garland – links the downward stroke to the upstrokes with a flowing curve
swinging from left t right. It is an easy, effortless mode of connection, written
with speed.

3. Angular connective form – when the downward strokes and upward

strokes meet directly, angular connection is formed. This type of connection
imposes a check on the continuity of movement which is characterized by an
abrupt stop and start in each turning point.

4. The threadlike connective form – the joining of downward and upward

strokes is slurred to a threadlike tracing or where rounded turns used at both
top and bottom produce a double curve. These forms appear both in the
shaping of letters within the word.

XI. THE WRITTEN STROKE:

A. STROKE DEFINED. 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

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 TERMINOLOGIES CONCERNING STROKE CHARACTERISTICS

ARC – a curved formed inside the top curve of loop as in small

letters “h”, “m”, “n”, & “p”.

ARCH – any arcade form in the body of a letter found in small

letters which contain arches.

ASCENDER – is the top portion of a letter or upper loop.

BASELINE – maybe actually on a ruled paper, it might be

imaginary alignment of writing; is the ruled or imaginary line
upon which the writing rests.

BEADED – Preliminary embellished initial stroke which usually

occurs in capital letters.

BEARD – is the rudimentary initial up stroke of a letter.

BLUNT – the beginning and ending stroke of a letter (without

hesitation).

BODY – The main portion of the letter, minus the initial of

strokes, terminal strokes and the diacritic, of any. Ex: the oval
of the letter "O" is the body, minus the downward stroke and
the loop.

BOWL – A fully rounded oval or circular form on a letter

complete into "O".

BUCKLE/BUCKLEKNOT – A loop made as a flourished which

is added to the letters, as in small letter "k & b", or in capital
letters "A", "K","P"; the horizontal end loop stroke that are often
used to
complete a letter.

CACOGRAPHY – A bad writing.

CALLIGRAPHY – The art of beautiful writing.

DESCENDER – opposite of ascender, the lower portion of a

letter.

EYE/EYELET/EYELOOP – a small loop or curved formed

23
inside the letters. This may occur inside the oval of the letters
"a, d, o"; the small loop form by stroke that extend in divergent
direction as in small letters.

FOOT – lower part which rest on the base line. The

small letter "m" has three feet, and the small letter "n" has two
feet.

HABITS – any repeated elements or details, which may serve

to individualize writing.

HESITATION – the term applied to the irregular thickening of

ink which is found when writing slows down or stop while the
pen take a stock of the position.

HIATUS/PEN JUMP – a gap occurring between a continuous

stroke without lifting the pen. Such as occurrence usually
occurs due to speed; may be regarded also as a special form
of pen lift distinguish in a ball gaps in that of perceptible gaps
and appear in the writing.

HOOK – It is a minute curve or a ankle which often occurs at

the end of the terminal strokes. It also sometimes occurs at the
beginning of an initial stroke. The terminal curves of the
letters "a", "d", "n", "m", "p", "u", is the hook. In small letter "w"
the initial curve is the hook; the minute involuntary talon like
formation found at the commencement of an initial up stroke or
the end terminal stroke.

HUMP – Upper portion of its letter "m","n","h" ,"k" - the rounded

outside of the top of the bend stroke or curve in small letter.

KNOB – the extra deposit of ink in the initial and terminal

stroke due to the slow withdrawal of the pen from the paper
(usually applicable to fountain pen).

LIGATURE/CONNECTION – The stroke which connects two

stroke of letter; characterized by connected stroke between
letters.

LONG LETTER – those letters with both upper and lower

loops.

LOOP – A oblong curve such as found on the small letter "f",

"g", "l" and letters stroke "f" has two. A loop may be blind or
open. A blind loop is usually the result of the ink having filled
the open space.

MAJUSCULE – a capital letter.

24
 MINUSCULE – a small letter.

MOVEMENT IMPULSES – this refer to the continuity of

stroke, forged writing is usually produced by disconnected and
broken movements and more motion or movement impulses
than in genuine writing.

PATCHING – retouching or going back over a defective portion

of a written stroke. Careful patching is common defect on
forgeries.

PEN LIFT – an interruption in a stroke caused by removing

the writing instrument from the paper.

RETRACE/RETRACING – Any part of a stroke which is super

imposed upon the original stroke. Ex: vertical stroke of the
letters "d" , "t" while coming downward from the top to bottom
will have a retracing strokes; any stroke which goes back
over another writing stroke. In natural handwriting there may
be instances in which the pen doubled back over the course.

SHOULDER – Outside portion of the top curve, small letter "m"

has three shoulders and the small letter "n" has two, the small
letter "h" has one shoulder.

SPUR – A short initial or terminal stroke.

STAFF – Any major long downward stroke of a letter that is the

long downward stroke of the letter "b" , "g".

STEM OR SHANK – the upright long downward stroke that is

the trunk or stalk, normally seen in capital letters.

TICK/HITCH - A short stroke, which usually occurs at the top

of the letters.

TREMOR – A writing weakness portrayed by irregular shaky

strokes is described as writing tremor.

WHIRL – The upstroke of a looping ascender.

OTHER TERMINOLOGIES CONCERNING STROKES:

AIRSTROKE – The movement of the pen as it is raised from the paper and continues
in the same direction in the air.

25
COVERING STROKE – A stroke that unnecessarily covers another stroke in a
concealing action.

FINAL – The ending stroke on a letter when it is at the end of a word.

UPSTROKE – Movement of the pen away from the writer.

SEQUENCE OF STROKES – The order in which writing strokes are placed on the
paper is referred to as their sequence.

SUPPORTED STROKES – Upstrokes partially covering the previous downstrokes.

Originally taught in European schools.

TRAIT STROKE – a school o handwriting analysis that assigns personality trait

manners to individual writing strokes.

QUALITIES OF THE STROKES:

Expansion – whether the movement is extended or limited in its range with respect to
both vertical and horizontal dimension.

Co-ordination – whether the flow of movement is controlled or uncertain, smooth or

jerky, continuous or interrupted.

Speed – wheter the movement has been rapid or slow and whether the pace has been
steady or variable.

Pressure – whether the pressure exerted in the movement and its upward and
downward reach.

Direction – left ward and right ward trend of they movement and its upward and
downward reach.

Rhythm – in the sequence of movements that weave the total pattern, certain similar
phases recur at more or less regular intervals.

XII. HANDWRITING PROBLEMS:

A signature/handwriting contested by its author which in reality is genuine

and corresponds perfectly to the ordinary, and habitual signatures of that person.

A signature/handwriting contested by its author which in reality was

written by him but in a way which was different from the ordinary manner and which is
more or less different from the common genuine signatures of that person.

A signature/handwriting contested by its author which in reality was written by a

third person and which is a forgery written in an attempted imitation of a model.

26
 A spurious signature/handwriting written by somebody who did not attempt
to imitate the signature of a person and who uses a fictitious name and this to give his
work the appearance of a signature.

An uncontested signature/handwriting, in fact, genuine but written by an unknown

person whose name must be deciphered by the document examiner.

XII. GENERAL CLASSES OF QUESTIONED WRITING

Forged or simulated writings in which the attempt is made to discard one’s own
writing and assume the exact writing personality of another person.

Those writings that are disguised and in which the writer seeks to hide his own
personality without adapting that of another.

XIV. HANDWRITING CHARACTERISTICS AND OTHER IDENTIFYING FEATURES

Writing Habits – Writing by all its thousand of peculiarities in combination is the most
personal and individuals thing that a man does that leaves a record which can be seen
and studies. This is what constitutes individuality in handwriting.

A. GENERAL(CLASS) CHARACTERISTICS - These characteristics refer to those

habits are part of basic writing system or which are modifications of the system of
writing found among so large a group of writes that have only slight identification
value.

B. INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS - They are characteristics which are the result of

the writer's muscular control, coordination, age, health, and nervous tempera-
ment, frequency of writing, personality and character. They are found in the following:

 Writing movement
 Form and design of letters
 Muscular control or motor control -
 Loose writing – this is characterized by too much freedom of movement and
lack of regulation. This is noticed especially in tall letters forms.
 Restrained writing – there is lack of freedom and inhibited movements. It gives
you the impression that every stroke was made with great difficulty. This writing is
small. There is distortion of letter forms which may lead to illegibility.
 Motor Coordination
 Shading
 Skill
 Alignment
 Pen pressure
 Connection
 Pen hold
 Rhythm
 Disconnections or pen lifts between letters

27
 Speed.
 Slant as a writing habit
 Proportion of letters as an individual characteristic or habit.
 Quality of stroke or line quality
 Variation

Indications of speed (speedy) writing:

a) Smooth, unbroken strokes and rounded forms.
b)Frequent signs or tendencies to the right.
c) Marked uncertainy as to the location of the dots of small letters "I",
"j" & crosses of small letter "t".
d)Increased spontaneity of words or small letter "t" connected with the
following words.
e)
f) Letters curtailed or degenerated almost to illegibility towards the end
of words.
g) Wide writing - width of letters is greater than the connecting spaces
adjoining it.
h)Great difference in emphasis between upstrokes and down strokes.
i) Marked simplification of letters especially capital letters.
j) Rising line.
k)Increased pen pressure.
l) Increase in the margin to left at the beginning of the line.

Indications of slow writing:

a) Wavering forms and broken strokes.
b) Frequent signs or tendencies to the left.
c) Conspicuous certainly as to the location of the dots of small letters
"I","j","or "t" crosses with scarcely perceptible deviation from the
intended direction.
d) Frequent pauses by meaningless blobs, angles, divided letters and
retouches.
e) Careful execution of detail of letters, toward the end or names.
f) Narrow writing.
g) No difference
C. EXAMPLES in emphasis
OF COMMON in upstroke and downstroke.
CHARACTERISTICS:
h) Ornamental or flourishing connections.
 Ordinary copy – book form
 Usual systematic slant
 Ordinary scale of proportion or ratio
 Conventional spacing

28
D. CLASSIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS:

 Permanent characteristics – found always in his handwriting.

 Common or usual – found in a group of writers who studied the same system
of writing.
 Occasional – found occasionally in his handwriting.
 Rare – special to the writer and perhaps found only in one or two persons in a
group of one hundred individuals.

E. HOW INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE ACQUIRED:

 Outgrowth of definite teaching

 Result of imitation
 Accidental condition or circumstances
 Expression of certain mental and physical traits of the writer as affected by
education, by environment and by occupation.

F. EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS:

 Hook to the right and hook to the left

 Shape, position, size and angle of "i" dots "t" crossing
 Idiosyncrasies
 Bulbs and distinctive initial and final pen pressure
 Embellishment, added strokes and free movement endings
 Abbreviation of letters
 Simple and compound curves and graceful endings
 Labored movement producing ragged lines
 Terminal shadings and forceful endings
 Presence and influence of foreign writing, with the introduction of Greek "e"

XV. PRINCIPLE IN HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION

 When any two specimens of handwritings contain a combination of

corresponding or similar and specifically oriented characteristics of such number
and significance as to preclude the possibility of their occurrence by mere
coincidence, and there are no unaccounted for difference, it may be concluded
that they are similar in writing characteristics and therefore written by one and
the same person.

 Handwritings are fixed habits..

 These writing habits like habits of speech become so automatic and unconscious
that even by the most strenuous effort, it is almost impossible to change them. It is
one of the most permanent of human habits.

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 No duplication of handwriting by two individuals..

CORRECT CONCLUSION

 To reach the conclusion that two writings are written by the same hand,
characteristics or "dents" and scratches" should be in sufficient quantity to exclude
the theory of accidental coincidence; to reach the conclusion that writings are by
different hands, we may find numerous likeliness in class characteristics but diver-
gences in individual characteristics or we may find divergences in both but the
divergence must be something more than mere superficial differences.

 If the conclusion of identifying is reached, there must not remain significant

differences that cannot reasonably be explained. This ignoring of the differences
or the failure properly to account for them is the cause of the errors in handwriting
identification.

 Although there is no specific approach, the document examiner always observed:

Analysis; Comparison; and Evaluation.

XVII. POINTS TO CONSIDER IN EXAMINING EXTENDED WRITING (Anonymous,

threat, poison letters):

 Uniformity – Does the questioned writing have smooth, rhythmic and free-flowing
appearance?

 Irregularities – Does the questioned writing appear awkward, ill-formed slowly

drawn
 Size & Proportion – Determine the height of the over-all writing as well as the
height of the individual strokes in proportion to each other.
 Alignment – Are they horizontally aligned, or curving, uphill or downhill.
 Spacing – Determine the general spacing between letters, spacing between
words. Width of the left and right margins, paragraph indentations.
 Degree of Slant – Are they uniform or not.
 Formation and Design of the letters, "t" (-) bars, "i" dots, loops, circle formation.
 Initial, connecting and final strokes.

XVIII. HANDPRINTING

 The procedure and the principle involved are similar to that of cursive
handwriting.
 In block capital and manuscript writings, personal individual rests principally in
design, selection, individual letter construction, size ratios and punctuation

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 habits. The initial step in handwriting examination is to determine whether
the questioned handwriting and standards were accomplished with:
 A fluency of movement and a certainty of execution indicative of familiarity
with and a measure or skill in handwriting of conversely.
 A conscious mental effort and non-rhythmic execution denoting either
unfamiliarity with or disguise in the subject’s handwriting.

CHAPTER FOUR - STANDARDS OR EXEMPLARS

I. DEFINITION

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 STANDARD – They are known writings which indicate how a person writes. A writer
manifests fixed habits in his writings that identify him. This fact provides the basis for
an opinion of conclusion regarding any writing identification problem.

EXEMPLARS – Specimen of the writing of suspects are commonly known as

exemplars. The term standards is a general term referring to all authenticated
writings of the suspects while exemplars refers more especially to a specimens of
standard writing offered in evidence or obtained or request for comparison with the
questioned writing.

SAMPLE – A selected representative portion of the whole is known as a sample. In

this text, the term "sample" follows closely the statistical usage.

II. USEFUL SUGGESTION REGARDING HANDWRITING STANDARDS FOR

COMPARISON

TYPES OF HANDWRITING "STANDARDS"

Collected Standards are KNOWN (genuine) handwriting of an individual such as

signature and endorsements on canceled checks, legal papers letters, commercial,
official, public and private document and other handwriting such as letters,
memoranda, etc. Written in the course of daily life, both business and socials.

Request standards are signature or other handwritings (or hand printings) written by
an individual upon request for the purpose of comparison with other handwriting or for
specimen purposes.

Post Litem Motan Exemplars - writings produced by the subject after evidential
writings have come into dispute and solely for the purpose of establishing his
contentions.

TYPES OF STANDARDS DESIRABLE FOR COMPARISON USE IN THE TWO

MOST COMMON TYPES OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS PROBLEMS.

 Submit collected and request standards signature from both individual case.
 When anonymous letter writings other than signature are in questioned:
 Submit request standards writings of general nature from both victim and suspect's
(as much standards writing as possible to obtain within reason).
 Submit request standards of the questioned text written (or printed) - at least 3
writings by the suspect/s and in some instanced by the victim.

SUGGESTED PROCEDURE FOR TAKING REQUEST HANDWRITING STANDARDS

IN ALL TYPES OF QUESTIONED-DOCUMENT PROBLEMS:

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

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 Furnish subject with paper and writing instrument similar to those used in
questioned writings, lie; paper should be same size, and ruled or unruled; as
questioned document: if questioned document is in written furnish subject with
pen and ink, etc.
 Never permit the subject to see any writing on the questioned document.
 Dictate material to be written (or printed, if questioned material is hand printed):
give no assistance in spelling or arrangement on page. Dictate at a rate of speed
which will produce the subject natural writing habits.
 Remove each specimen upon completion by subject number in consequence,
date, time and identify by initiating each, and request subjects to sign each
specimen.
 Observe all writing done by subjects and indicate any attempt of disguise, and
whether subjects appears to be normally right or left handed, etc.

SPECIAL PROCEDURE FOR TAKING REQUEST HANDWRITING STANDARDS

WHERE CHECKS FORGERY IS CHANGED OR SUSPECTED.

Furnish subjects with check blanks similar to the questioned check/s.

Dictate the entries to be made on specimen checks as follows:

 Date - Same as shown on questioned check

 Payee - - do -
 Amount- - do -
 Signature- - do -
 Any other handwriting shown on questioned check
 Give subjects to help or suggestions in completing specimen checks.

MISCELLANEOUS

- The laboratory should be informed of the age apparent health and physical
condition of the time standards are written.
- Do not fold, staple or pin document: handle questioned documents with care.
- Indicate in the sample handwriting the time, place, date signature of writer as well
as witness of the handwriting.

SOME SOURCES OF SIGNATURES WRITTEN IN THE COURSE OF DAILY

AFFAIRS

 Canceled Checks
 Signature cards for saving, checking and charge accounts and safe deposit boxes.

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  Credit applications and cards
 Signature on sales slips, on job orders slips, requisition slips and purchase slips.
 Court records and affidavits, such as naturalization papers, bankruptcy
proceedings, divorce papers. Probated wills and estate files, powers of attorney,
etc.
 Passports, marriage application, license and affidavits.
 Driver automobile chauffeur, and other types of licensee applications
 Application for gas, electricity, water and telephone services
 Loan application and receipts
 Records from currency exchanges, check-cashing agencies and pawnshop
 Time sheets, payroll, pay receipts and personal forms
 Barangay registration, petitions
 Signature for certain drug purchases, hotel registrations
 Church, club and professional society record
 Veteran records
 Fingerprint records
 School or University class records and cards
 Application for firearm and licenses
 Application for export and import and dollar allocations
 ID cards

III. HOW TO PREPARE AND COLLECT HANDWRITING STANDARDS? – Factors

to Consider in the Selection of standards

THE AMOUNT OF STANDARD WRITTEN

SIMILARLY OF SUBJECT MATTER. If the questioned writings are hand printed, then
get hand printed standard or exemplar.

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.

IV. Importance of Contemporaneous Standards are:

Helps to determine or trace gradual changes on one’s hand writing or signature.

Aids in tracing the development of any writing variation

 CONDITION UNDER WHICH BOTH THE QUESTIONED AND THE STANDARD

ARE PREPARED. look for standards prepared under comparable circumstances
such as: paper rested on the knee; standing; sitting; lying down; and/or while on
moving vehicle.
 WRITING INSTRUMENT AND PAPER. Same instrument used in the preparation
of the questioned document must be obtained in the standards

V. HANDWRITINGS/SIGNATURES THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO SOLVE - Some

problems are complicated and harder to solve that includes:

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 Type of Signature
Signature of the careless or highly
erratic writer.
Receipt Signature.
Near - Illiterate Writer.
Signatures of Physical Impaired
Writer
a. The intoxicated signature
b. Old age deterioration
c. The sick bed signature.
Remedy (Required Standards)
Collected standards
Other receipt signatures
Requested standards if writer is still living
Collect standards written in the same
situation\
c. similar to old age deterioration

collect 2 or 3 times more

standards
Disguised signature or writing Specimen written in normal condition could
not be used therefore consider collected
and requested standards

VI. DISGUISES IN HANDWRITING

- COMMON DISGUISES
- Abnormally large writing.
- Abnormally small writing.
- Alteration in slant (usually backhand).
- Usually variation in slant within a single unit of writing (with in a single
signature).
- Printed forms instead of cursive forms.
- Diminution in the usual speed of writing.
- Unusual widening or restriction of lateral spacing.

KINDS OF DISGUISES

 Change of slant - from right to left or vice versa.

 Change of letter, either from cursive to block style or vice-versa.
 Change from cursive (conventional style) to block form or vice-versa.
 Change of style from small to big or vice versa.
 Deteriorating one's handwriting.
 Using the wrong hand (AMBIDEXTROUS).

VII. EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL IN HANDWRITING

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 PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFECTS. Intoxication affects the physiological being of
an individual hence, the manner of handwriting is also affected.

EVIDENCE OF ALCOHOLIC INTOXICATION IN HANDWRITING

 Bizarre letter forms.

 Greatly enlarged writing.
 Illegible forms and writing generally.
 Uneven baseline.
 Meaningless blobs or extraneous strokes in the writing.
 Inconsistency in slant of writing.
 Inconsistency in the form of repeated letters.

VIII. ADMISSIBILITY OF STANDARD WRITINGS

THE FOLLOWING ARE STANDARD WRITINGS WHICH ARE ADMISSIBLE FOR

COMPARISON PURPOSES:

 Standard writings witnessed

 Standards writings admitted
 Record Maintained in Regular Course of Business as Standard Writings
 Government Document as standard Writings
 Ancient writings
 Other Writings Standards - Among writings admissible as standard are signature
on spelling motion or other instruments, such as an appearance bond, which may
without further proof of genuineness be used as a standard.
 Familiarity Sometimes establishes standard writings.

Opinion Evidence - The court seem to be in general agreement that proof of the
genuineness of a standard cannot be established by the opinion of experts testifying
from a comparison of the writing sought to be used as standard with another writing.

Genuineness of standard decided by court - The sufficiency of the proof of the

genuineness of a standard of writing is a matter to be decided by the court.

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