Forensic Document Examination Document Evidence Limited

Forensic Document Examination Document Evidence Limited

Specimens Same style of handwriting- BLOCK cursive script

Specimens • Several specimens • Roughly contemporaneous • Original documents if possible • Signatures in same name

Auto Forgery • When someone attempts to deliberately alter their own signature in order to deny it at a later stage

Copy documents, are they good enough? *IT DEPENDS* • Composite documents • Scanned images • No signs of forgery visible? • Clarity of letter designs • Clarity of fluency

Copy Documents Clarity of fluency Discernible formation

Copy Documents Complexity of formation Fluency

Copy Documents Few discernible details Extraneous marks Pen lifts Pixilation of pen line Pen direction

One to One Comparisons • The type of examination regularly undertaken by staff at financial institutes

Cheque alteration

Typewritten/Printed Documents • Type bar typewriters • Single element typewriters (electric) • Ink jet printers • Laser • Others

Dating of Documents • Handwriting • Typescript • Printers • Photocopiers • Paper • Inks • ESDA • Evidence v Circumstances

Multifaceted Evidence • Often one strand of a comparison gives little useful evidence e.g.: • Ink similarity • Paper similarity • Printing similarity • Layout similarity

Multifaceted Evidence • However, combining strands of apparently inconclusive evidence can lead to an opinion of a common source being reached e.g.: • Paper • Printer • Inks • Layout • Handwriting/signatures

Document Evidence LTD Gatsby Court 172 Holliday Street Birmingham B1 1TJ Telephone – 0121 643 0990 Fax – 0121 633 0288 E-mail – info@docev.co.uk

Forensic Document Examination Document Evidence Limited