DOCUMENT 

– is any material which contains marks, signs, symbols, which are

visible partially visible or invisible that may presently or ultimately convey a meaning
or message to someone. 
- It is a written statement by which a right to established or an obligation extinguished.
(People vs. Moreno. C.A 38, O.G, 119)
- Came from Latin word ‘documentum’ which means ‘lesson’
- A document becomes a questioned document when its being questioned as to
its originality, authenticity, authorship, source, and genuineness and when it is
places under scrutiny to determine whether or not it is disputed. 
Important aspects of documents: 
1. Paper – originally word from the Egyptian word ‘papyrus’early form of writing from
the grasses old reatts later on became ‘paper’ the 1  paper form came
st

from china, 2000 yrs. ago came from Bart of malmery tree as time goes by was

made in 1798 by the French inventor Nicholas Louis Robert as time goes by with a
great improvement by the paper milling it was developed by Silly Fordringer,
1803and bearing their names in the 1  paper was made by vegetables, silk, linin and
st

later on cotton or wool pulp.

2. Ink – man discovered the use of ink as paper was also discovered. The Asian
writing ink where a compound of lamb black or carbon suit and a gum or glue mix
with water called Indian ink. Pencil then ballpen was developed
by John Lawt then Fountain pen was developed by Lewis Watermen as time goes
by it became Fiber Pen.
Question document examiner: 
- The one who analyze the documents. 
1. Handwriting identification – to find out who is the author of the writing 
2. Criminalistic examination – detection of forgeries, alteration (erasures), obliterations
(over writing) 
2 categories of Document: 
1. Standard Documents (Original Documents)
- Origin is known, can be proven and can legally be used as sample to compare with
other things is questioned. 
• 2 types of standard documents: 
a. Collected or Procured Standard – these are executed in the ordinary course of
man’s activities be it social, business, official, or personal affairs. 
b. Requested – given or made upon request; also referred to Dictated Standard; from
the Latin word Post Litem Motam Standard. 
2. Questioned Document 
- The focal point of the examination and to which the document examiner relies as to the
extent of the problem. (disputed document) 
- Document in which an issue has been raised or which is under scrutiny. 
- Disputed Document is considered questioned document but not all document is
disputed.
- Document that suggest controversy or argument over another document. 
 
Basic Points that should be considered in obtaining standards: 
A. Collected/Procured standards
1. Similarity of subject
- Standard should be always conformed with the nature of the questioned or disputed
material. Never even the same in their generic appearance. 
2. Amount of writing standard
- There is no hard or fast rule as to the fixed number of standards necessary to constitute
sufficiency or adequacy of standards. 
- The more the similarities the greater the possibility of conclusion
3. Relative dates of the questioned and standard document
- Standards for comparison should relatively contemporary in dates. 
4. Writing instrument and paper used
- Writing instrument and paper used in the preparation of a document may somehow
influence in certain degree the quality of the writing. 
5. Writing condition
- Conditions both of the writer and the relative condition under which the writing was
prepared also affect the quality of writing.
- 
B. Requested/Dictated Document
1. Text must be carefully be selected
2. Dictate the text to the writer and never allow the subject to see the questioned
document
3. Dictation must be repeated for at least 3 times. 
4. Dictation must be interrupted at an interval
5. Utilized the same writing instrument and paper
6. Normal writing condition should be arranged.
Classes of Questioned Documents: 
1. Document with questioned signature (most common)
2. Document containing fraudulent alteration (any form of changes either an addition or
deletion to the contents of a documents)
3. Holograph Document – a document that is completely written and signed by one
person
4. Document questioned as to the material used in their production
5. Document questioned as to their age or date
6. Documents involving typewriting
7. Document which may identify a person through handwriting
8. Genuine document erroneously or fraudulently attacked or disputed
9. Documents containing printing or type prints
 
 
 
 
Miscellaneous Document Problem 
1. Detection of Alteration 
- Refers to ant form of a changes either addition or deletion to the original content of the
document which is not part of its original preparation 
2. Decipherment of Erased Writings
i. Erasure – refers to removal of a writings or any part of a document either by
mechanical or chemical process; it can leave spots and black patches too pronounced
to escape detection by the alert examiner. 
ii. Mechanical Erasure – done by means of abrasive method through rubbing or
scrapping; involves the use of some abrasive objects like Indian rubber eraser, knives,
razor blades and other sharp instrument
iii. Chemical Erasure – done with the aid or use of bleaching agent called ink
eradicator; involves the use of some chemicals or reagents that is capable of oxidizing
or bleaching ink. 
3. Decipherment of Obliterated Writing 
- Is the process of smearing over an original writing to make it undecipherable or
illegible, done with the used of superimposing inks; usually examined with the used of
Infra-red lightning. 
4. Examination of Charred Document and Water Soaked Document
- Refers to partly burned or brittle document. Decipherment is usually accomplished
with the used of Infra-red-light examination; other wise known as Smeared Over
Writing
5. Development of Invisible Writing 
- Writing that has no readily visible ink strokes. Made by sympathetic ink such as acids,
juice and others. They are possible of development can be by heat, water, chemical
fuming, or by ultra-violet light process
6. Decipherment of Contact Writing
- Refers to partially visible ink strokes caused by sudden contact between a sheet of
paper with another paper containing fresh ink. Can be enhanced through fuming or
ultra-violet light process
7. Decipherment of Intended Writing 
- Usually applied to a partial depression appearing on a sheet of paper underneath the
one which the visible writing appears
Writing & Signature: 
➢ System of Writing – is the combination of basic shape and designs of letter and the
writing movement which was taught in school
➢ Copy book form – is an illustration of the basic designs letter that is fundamental to
the writing system
➢ Writing Movement – refers to factors relative to the motion of the pen such as
pressure, rhythm, pen lifting etc. 
Agraphia – one loses the ability to write, although he could still manage to grasp a
writing instrument thus the ability or power to hold a pen or pencil to form symbols
and words can be said to emanate from this critical center; Fortex of the brain.
Extensor muscle – forms upward stroke
Flexor – forms downward stroke
Lumbrical muscle – combination of extensor and flexor that forms lateral strokes
 
Types of Writing Movements: 
1. Finger Movement 
- Employed in Vertical Writing
- Letters are formed by the action of Thumb, index, and the middle finger.
2. Hand Movement 
- Involves the action of the hand as a whole with the finger playing but a minor role
- The wrist is the pivotal of the lateral movement
3. Forearm (or muscular) Movement
- Writing produced by the movement of the hand and arm and also fingers
- Elbow is the pivotal of the lateral movement
4. Whole-arm Movement 
- It involves the action of the entire a without a rest and is employed in a very large
writing.

Alteration-form of changes
Blank Paper-A sheet of paper
Characteristics- any property or mark
Collation-critical comparison
Comparison-setting two or more specimen
Conclusion-A scientific result
Cursive writing-joined together
Document examiner-studies scientifically
Decipherment-clear or out
Disguised writing- hiding his identity
Examination -close or critical study
Efface -rubbing out or erase
Exemplars-disputed document
Expert witness-legal term
Forgery -simulating or copying
Graphology-interpret the character
Guided writing- hand printing steadied
Hand lettering-known ad hand printing
Holographic document- completely written by one person holo means hand graph
means wrting
Model signature- genuine signature
Natural writing-control or alter
Restoration-brought out again
Reference collection – material complied
Safety Paper- treated / contains minutes design
Sample-portion of the whole
Significant writing habits sufficiently unique
Slant -condensed and compact
Writing-very complicated series
Writing condition-both the circumstances
Writing Habits -repeated elements
Wrong handed writing-opposite hand form

Legal Classes of Document:

1)Public Document- issued by public official in response
2)Official Document-function of his office
3)Private Document-private person / person legally authorized
4)commercial document- code of commerce

Sec 19 Classes of Document- presentation in evidence

Sec 20 Proof of Private Document- Private document offered as authentic

Steps no 1. – art of handwriting/copy book form

Steps no 2. – form recedes/ focus of attention
Steps no3 – manual operation/ more progress

Types of characteristics
1) Class characteristics- taught to the child / common
2) Personal Characteristics- deviations/ higly personal and peculiar
Rule 1 . personal and individual to him alone
Corollary 1- gradual changes
Corollary 2- persons lifetime

Writing is an acquired art

Rule 2- Deterioration/ any cause affects

Corollary 1: very rapidly due of sharp

Transitory changes – physical and mental condition

Such as fatigue
Basic cause is affecting the writer

Rule 3-A- writter cannot exceed his maximum writing ability

Rule 4- Attempted Disguised
Corollary 1- lack of uniformity / typical diaguise
Corollary 2- converse / lack of disguise

Rule 5- wrting variations/ property of every one

Corollary 1 – degree of variation
Corollary 2 – Variation in writing/ was prepared
Corollary 3- govern the degree / the purpose for which writing
Corollary 4- day to day

Tremors- writing weakness / shaky

Kinds of Tremors
1) Genuine Tremor – old age/ weakness or sickness
Tremor of Illiteracy- weakening of the muscle
2) Tremor fraud – wrong place or tremor

Line Quality – written stroke

Types of Writing movements

1) Finger movements- vertical writing
2) Hand movements- action of the hand/ fingers playing/ wrist is the pivotal
3) Forearm or muscular movement- movements of the hand / elbow is the pivotal
4) Whole Arm Movement- entire without rest

Elements of Writing Movement

1) Writing pen pressure – contact with the paper

2) Pen emphasis – intermittently forcing the pen
Shading-fountain pen
3) Rhythm- balance quality of movement
4) Skill- relative degree
5) Speed – cannot be measured of the writer proficiency
6) Pen-Lift- interruption in stroke
 7) Shading – increased in the width
8) Pen Position (pen hold) – relation to the paper surface
9) Pen scope- reach of the hand
10) Retracing or retrace – goes back over another
11) Retouching or patching- going back to repair defective portion

Element of Letter Forms

1) Arc- bend crook/ inner side

2) Beard – up and down
3) Blunt- beginning and ending
4) Buckle knot- horizontal and looped stroke
5) Central part or body- small circle
6) Dactus or Junction Broken- Disconnected between two letters
7) Dactus link or junction connected- continous line
8) Eye loop and eyelet- small loop formed
9) Foot- base or bottom of letter
10) Hitch- beginning of capital letters
11) Hook or through-curve of small letters or bottom loop
12) Hump- rounded outer side
13) Initial spur- long initial rising
14) Knob – tiny pool of ink spread
15) Main stroke or stem or shank of staff- ling upright downward
16) Space Filler or terminal spur – upward horizontal or downward ( asuy)
17) Whirl- high loops

Alteration- addition or deletion

Erasure – removal of the writing
Erasure by mechanical means- use if some abrasive objects
Erasure by chemical means – chemicals or reagents / oxidizing or bleaching an ink

Visual Inspection- artificial light and direct light

Transmitted light- most powerful method
Ultra violet light- violet radiation/ changing color
Photography- printing the paper