Document examination is a vital discipline within the field of forensic science that focuses on the careful examination, comparison, and evaluation of documents to determine their authenticity, origin, alterations, and potential forgery. Our experienced document examiner utilizes cutting-edge techniques, advanced technology, and extensive knowledge to provide accurate and reliable results.
Whether you are dealing with questioned signatures, altered contracts, counterfeit documents, or any other type of suspicious paperwork, our document examination services can provide you with invaluable insights. We work closely with clients from diverse sectors, including law enforcement agencies, legal professionals, financial institutions, and private individuals, delivering expert opinions and expert witness testimony when required.
We specialize in document examination services, verifying “cut and paste” fabrications, determining the authenticity or “forgery” of signatures, recovering indented writing from documents, analyzing alterations, recovering writing beneath obliterating fluids or from overwriting with pen ink, identifying page insertions in documents, and so forth.
Our highly qualified Forensic Document Examiner is proficient in the art and science of handwriting analysis. Signature, and other handwriting examinations, are time consuming. There are many individualizing features compared, such as the writing slant, the writing in relationship to the baseline, fluency, the use (or lack of use,) of connecting strokes, design and positioning of “i-dots” and “t-crossings,” etc.
The most common case type submitted is a questioned signature on a will or other estate documents. However, the same methodology in signature examinations is used on any other document types such as contracts, receipts, checks, and other business records. Our Document Examiner has testified in over 150 cases in State and Federal Courts, as well as Canada. Exhibits are constructed to provide compelling testimony.
In many cases, a document is suspected of being altered, fabricated, or having a page insertion. The client may suspect a specific aspect of the document was changed in some manner. In other cases, there may be a suspicion a signature was either “forged,” or transferred from a “source” document to the document in question through the use of a software program.
Our experienced examiner may employ various laboratory instruments during an
analysis. Page substitutions or alterations may require an analysis of inks, paper, printing methods, fonts, and other details on the page(s.)
Indented writing refers to impressions made on a document surface when pen pressure is applied, leaving faint or invisible indentations on a page beneath. Our skilled expert will use a specific laboratory instrument, an Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA,) to recover indentations in a non-destructive manner. The non-visible indentations may be of value in determining the document’s authenticity or recovering other information. For example, in one case, account numbers that were previously unknown, were identified and used to recover a significant amount of assets owed to the client.
Upon completing an examination, a detailed report is provided for our clients. Reports include conclusive findings and exhibits establishing the foundation for conclusions stated. We anticipate that cases may require testimony and prepare reports accordingly. Our document examiner possesses an ability to effectively communicate his findings and constructs comprehensive reports that have a clear explanation of his analysis and conclusions.
