QUESTION DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

8
TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF
QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS

MR.MARCSON B. REYES,RCrim.
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TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF

QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS
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Forensic Document Examination is the study of

physical evidence, and physical evidence
cannot lie. Only failure to fit it or to hear its
true testimony can deprive it of its
value”…Richard Huber
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TRUST THE PROCESS

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TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF

QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS
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MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION

TRANSMITTED LIGHT EXAMINTION

ULTRA VIOLET EXAMINATION

OBLIQUE LIGHT

PHOTOGARPHIC EXAMINATION
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MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION -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 of illumination, its aids in the decipherment of erasures, some
minute’s manipulation not perfectly pictured to the unaided eye and the sequence of entries
done by different writing instrument.
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TRANSMITTED LIGHT EXAMINTION -Documents are objected this type of examination to

determine the presence of erasures, matching of serration and some other types of alteration.
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ULTRA VIOLET EXAMINATION -This is the type of examination is done after the lamp has
been warmed up in order to give a maximum out put of the ultra violet light should be to the
minimum duration in order to avoid fading of some writing ink and type writer ribbon . The
exposures of a document the ultra violet light is useful when it consists of several pages and
substitution is being suspected. The color and intensity of fluorescence reaction is very
apparent in case of substituted page. Mechanical and chemical erasures will certainly change
the reflectivity and fluorescence of the area affected.
ESDA (ELECTROSTATIC DETECTION APPARATUS) - Detects indention/ indented writings.
Records transparencies of any indentations.
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OBLIQUE LIGHT- Decipherment of faded handwriting, determination of outlines in traced

forgery, embossed impression, etc. are subjected to this type of examination.
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PHOTOGARPHIC EXAMINATION - This type of examination is very essential in every

document examination.
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THE DANGER OF OFF HAND OPINIONS:

1.A conscientious expert should not be influenced to form an off hand opinion, no matter
how urgent a case seems to be, no matter how a client may influence him, no matter
how much money is being offered for the “ LATE HOURS OR WORKING DURING THE
WEEKEND.”

2.An expert can never afford to “just take a look” and express an opinion, or arrive at any
conclusion. This is permissible only for a layman.

3.An expert always need time to make a painstaking and careful examination needs
enough time to use the necessary instruments and optical tools; or time to make proper
photo enlargements for the examination and study of the case.

4.If 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.
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CARE OF DISPUTED DOCUMENTS AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE:

1. It is a basic requirement, not only a common sense principle, 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 and preferable in all instances that right after the document
becomes disputed, questioned or important, to make not only the usual photo static
copy, 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, or experiments as proof of attempted forgery.
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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 d
efinite 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.
8. 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.

Admissibility of Standard Writings:

Standard used by the document examiner in an identification writings on which the
document examiner bases his conclusion cannot be introduced, then the document
examiner may not be able to provide convincing or his testimony maybe weakened.
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The following are Classes of standard writings, which are admissible for comparison.
1. Standard writings witnessed
 The courts accept as sufficient proof that evidence in the form of uncontradicted testimony
of eyewitness to the execution of writing is sufficient to permit the use of such writings as
standard to test to other writing.
 Included in this class of admissible standards are writings voluntarily prepared by a party in
the presence of an investigator these generally are known as requested writings.
2. Standards writings admitted
 If the party whom a handwriting standard is to be admits the genuity of the standard, he could
hold that further proof of genuineness is unnecessary.
3. Record Maintained in Regular Course of Business as Standard Writings.
4. Government Document as standard writings
 Signatures of government officials on document treated as authentic and produced from official
archives maybe admitted in evidence as standard of comparison whether being as issue as to
the forgery of the signature of the same persons on other documents.
5. Ancient writings
6. 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.
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8. Familiarity Sometimes establish standard writings

 Testimony to the genuineness of a collection of standard of writing by witness who
are familiar with a person’s handwriting.
8. 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 anther writing.
9. Genuineness of standard decided by court
 Sufficient of the proof of the genuineness of a standard of writing is a matter to be
decided by the court.

DISGUISE WRITING
The individual who is attempting to disguise her or his handwriting is trying to
produce a convention that they are not accustomed to.
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What are the indications of disguise in writing?

1. Abnormally large writing.

2. Abnormally small writing.
3. Alteration in slant (usually backhand).
4. Usually variation in slant within a single unit of writing
(with in a single signature).
5. Printed forms instead of cursive writing.
6. Diminution in the usual speed of writing.
7. Unusual widening or restriction of lateral spacing.
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Kinds of Disguises:

1. Change of slant – from right to left or vice versa.

2. Change of letter, either from cursive to block style or
vice-versa.
3. Change from cursive (conventional style) to block form
or vice versa.
4. Change of style from small to big or vice versa.
5. Deteriorating one’s handwriting.
6. Using the wrong hand (AMBIDEXTROUS)
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Evidence of Alcoholic Intoxication in Handwriting

includes:

1. Bizarre letterforms.
2. Greatly enlarged writing.
3. Illegible forms and writing generally.
4. Uneven baseline.
5. Meaningless blobs or extraneous strokes in the writing.
6. Inconsistency in slant of writing.
7. Inconsistency in the form of repeated letters.
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Importance of Contemporaneous Standard:

For the reason that characteristic and qualities of handwriting gradually

change with many writes, the alleged date of writing in question and the actual
date of all standard writings should be known. Because of this possibility of
change the standard always should include all that are available within a certain
definite period, including the item when it is claimed the questioned writing was
written.
If it is alleged that writing was produced under unusual of any kind, the
examiner should know this fact. If the writer subjects to unusual changes in
physical or mental condition due to age, disease or personal habits, or through
any cause, these facts also should be known. Certain general qualities in
handwriting necessarily are affected by conditions of the writer or surrounding
the writer and often it is necessary to determine whether the written results are
in harmony with alleged condition.
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Illegible writing
Erasures: mechanical and chemical
• Can be deciphered with ultraviolet
• Visual inspection
• Photography
• Chemical analysis
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TRANSMITTED LIGHT EXAMINTION

Obliterated writing - Can be deciphered with magnifying lens,

stereomicroscope, UV, visual, photography, iodine fuming, ammonium sulfide,
carbon tetrachloride, turpentine, amyl acetate, and ethanol.
Invisible writing
-Also called sympathetic ink
-Can be deciphered by using chemical agents like precipitating agents, physical
agents like heat.
Indented writing - Can be deciphered by using side- lighting, use of powders,
iodine fuming.
Carbon paper writing - Can be deciphered by photography
Contact writing - Can be deciphered by using photography
Charred document - Can be deciphered by using photography and fuming
chamber
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TYPEWRITER/TYPEWRITING EXAMINATION AND

IDENTIFICATION

TYPEWRITER:
A machine that can reproduce printed characters on papers or
that can produced printed letters and figures on paper.
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Typewriting Examination:
The typewriters have become an instrument of worldwide importance in the
correspondence and commence of the world and therefore could be an effective screen
for commenting crime. In several articles written between 1901 and 1908, Albert S.
Osborne, the foremost document examiner of the early 20th century, defined the
principles points enunciated by Osborne are as follows:
a. The typefaces used by the different typewriter manufacturer can be differentiated on
the basis of design and have dating significance.
b. Through usage, typewriters develop individually which can serve to identify the
typewriting of a particular typewriter.
c. The gradual development of typewriters develops individuality plus ribbon condition
and typeface. Cleanliness can be used to date a document of fix it written a period of
time
d. Horizontal and vertical alignment, titling characters, lock of uniformity of impression
(off footedness), type-face score, breads, defects, defects and deformities all serve to
identify the type writing of a particular machine.
e. Peculiar habits of striking the typewriter keys, spacing, arrangement, punctuation,
mistakes, corrections, can be used to identify at typist or differentiate typists.
f. A sheet of paper cannot be reinserted in a typewriter in exact register with previous
typing done on the sheet of paper.
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Classification of Typewriters as to Typeface:

a. Pica-Type - the typefaces are spaced ten characters

to the horizontal inch
b. Elite - type - the typefaces are spaced twelve
characters to the horizontal
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