Blog
From the Desk of Jim Green
Common Document Examinations
As a Forensic Document Examiner, I provide a resource for resolving alleged forged document issues in civil and criminal cases. For clarification, the term 'forgery' is a legal term, used to broadly define the intentional falsification of a signature or document. It...
Opinions Rendered by Document Examiners
Before document examiners can develop an appropriate opinion for his/her client following a signature or handwriting examination, consideration is given to whether the questioned and known specimens relied upon were original or photocopies, the number of known...
Minimizing Signature Forgeries
Signature forgeries are the most common type of issue clients present to the signature expert they hire. Many of the involved signatures are abbreviated and lack a few or many of the individual letters in the name. It is common for people signing their name...
Indented Writing
Although commonly overlooked, indented writing may be of significant value in resolving questioned document issues. As the term implies, indented writing is the non-visible indentations or images applied to a sheet of paper positioned below the page actually written...
Identification of the Writer of Simulations or Tracings
Requests are commonly received for a forensic document examiner to compare a simulated or traced signature with writing samples of the purported ‘forger’. The expectation is to confirm a suspected writer was responsible for the simulation or traced signature. The...
Writing Specimen Considerations
During the collection process of signature specimens to submit with the questioned signature(s), maximize the comparison process by the following: Collect ‘like’ documents. For example, if a signature was written on a legal document it is preferable to submit...
Originals vs. Photocopies
Document examiners are commonly asked if photocopy analysis may be used for a handwriting comparison. They may. However, the preferable form documents are submitted is in the following order: originals, photographs, photocopies and, if necessary, microfilm and faxed...
Signature Comparisons: Just One Aspect of Document Examinations
Commonly, when a document is called into question the signature becomes the focus of attention. Forensic document examiners conduct signature comparisons, but also look for other evidence on the document. To assist with this process, specialized laboratory instruments...
Contact
James A. Green,
Forensic Document Examiner
2456 Suncrest Ave,
Eugene, OR 97405
