DOCUMENT

- Any material containing:

- marks,
- symbols, or
- signs either visible, partially visible
- that may present or ultimately convey a meaning to someone, maybe in
the form of :
- pencil, -ink writing, -typewriting, or -printing on paper.

plural form, “documents” -deeds, agreements, title, letters, receipts, and

other written instruments used to prove a fact.
– Latin word “documentum”, means “lesson, or example (in Medieval
Latin “instruction, or official paper”), OR
– French word “docere”, means to teach.
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT- some issue and under
scrutiny.
– authenticity,
– identity,
– or origin.

Questioned document examination- close and critical

study of any material that seeks to determine the history of
a document by technical or scientific processes
TERMS
Ambidextrous- people can use their right hand and left hand with
equal skill.
Bibliotics- is the science of handwriting
Bibliotist- handwriting expert
Graphology- study/ pseudo-science
-interpret the character or personality of the writer.
Calligraphy – characterize as good writing
Cacography – characterize as bad writing
TERMS
PENMANSHIP - is the technique of writing with the hand using a
writing instrument. The art or practice of writing with the pen.

STANDARD DOCUMENT - authentic specimens material from a

known source.

EXEMPLAR. A term used by some document examiners and

attorneys to characterize known material. Standard is the older term.

HOLOGRAPHIC DOCUMENT- written and signed by one

person
Terms involved in
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
CONCLUSION (opinion)- A scientific conclusion
results form relating observed facts by logical, common-
sense reasoning in accordance with established rules or laws.

NON-IDENTITIFICATION (Non-identity) – the

compared questioned and standard specimens is different.
Terms involved in
QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
ADDITION - Any matter made a part of the document after its original preparation may
be referred to as addition. (general term)

INSERTION OR INTERLINEATION - The term "insertion" and

"interlineations" include the addition of writing and other material between lines or
paragraphs or the addition of whole page to a document. (specific addition)

ERASURE - The removal of writings, typewriting or printing, from a document

It maybe accomplished by either of two means.
1. chemical eradication.
2. abrasive erasure.

OBLITERATION - the blotting out or shearing over the writing to make the original
invisible to as an addition.
Discussion Quiz
1. It refers to the science of handwriting

2. Tony write explanation letter to his boss as responds to

the memo he received. Because he has no computer or even
typewriter he used only paper and pen. His writing was
refers to ___
KINDS OF DOCUMENT:
PUBLIC DOCUMENT - notarized by a notary public or competent public official
with solemnities required by law.(Cacnio vs. Baens, 5 Phil. 742)

OFFICIAL DOCUMENT - issued by the government or its agents or its officers having
the authority to do so and the offices, which in accordance with their creation, they are
authorized to issue and be issued in the performance of their duties.

PRIVATE DOCUMENT -executed by a private person without the intervention of a

notary public or of any person legally authorized.(US vs Orera, 11 Phil. 596).

COMMERCIAL DOCUMENT - executed in accordance with the Code of Commerce

or any Mercantile Law, containing disposition of commercial rights or obligations.
Take Note:
A private document may become a public or
official document when it partake the nature of a public or
official record.
falsifications committed on such document that is, when it is
already a part of the public record, falsification of public or
official document is committed.

However, if such private document is intended to become a

part of the public record, even though falsified prior thereto,
falsification of a public document is committed.
WRITINGS WHICH DO NOT CONSTITUTE
DOCUMENTS - based on some Supreme Court Rulings.
A draft of a Municipal payroll which is not yet approved by
the proper authority (People vs. Camacho, 44 Phil. 484).

Mere blank forms of official documents, the spaces of

which are not filled up (People vs. Santiago, CA, 48 O.G.
4558).

Pamphlets or books which do not evidence any disposition

or agreement are not documents but are mere merchandise
(People vs. Agnis, 47 Phil. 945).
Most Common Questioned Documents
Letters Voter registration
Checks Passports
Drivers Licenses Petitions
Contracts Threatening letters
Wills Suicide notes
Lottery tickets

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 REASON FOR QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
EXAMINATION
Scientific Comparison- determination of authenticity, genuineness,
falsification or forgery lies on the availability of known standards for
comparison.

principle of identification is applied:

“When two items contain a combination of corresponding or

similar and specifically oriented characteristic of such number and
significance as to preclude the possibility of their occurrence by
mere coincidence and there are no unaccounted for differences, it may be
concluded that they are same in their characteristics attributed to the
same cause.”
 SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN QUESTIONED
DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Analysis (Recognition) - properties or characteristics,
observed or measured.

Comparison-Properties or characteristics of the known are

compared unknown items.

Evaluation- Similarities or dissimilarities in properties or

characteristics will each have a certain value for identification,
determined by its likelihood of occurrence.

The weight or significance of each must therefore be considered.

THE CRITERIA OF SCIENTIFIC EXAMINATION OF
DOCUMENTS ARE:

Accuracy – correspondence between results obtained

and the truth.

Precision – measure of the consistency of results

obtained in repeated study or experimentation.
Discussion Quiz
3. Tony Stark was the president of Stark Business
Company. He love to write, in fact he maintained his own
journal for personal uses. What kind of document is the
journal of Mr. Stark?

4. What kind of document is the business flyers?

Who is a Questioned Document Expert?

A Questioned Document Expert is one who has:

– Attained the appropriate education and training;
– Sufficient knowledge on the technical, scientific, and legal
aspects of document examinations; and
– A broad experience in handling questioned document cases.

OFF-HAND OPINION- is usually a conclusion that is not

based on thorough scientific examination.
TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED
DOCUMENTS
MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION - to discover minute physical details.
– STEREOSCOPIC EXAMINATION -to detect retouching, patching and unnatural pen-lift
in signature analysis.

TRANSMITTED LIGHT EXAMINATION –viewed with the source of illumination

behind it and the light passing through the paper.
determine the presence of erasures, matching of serrations and some other types of
alterations.

OBLIQUE LIGHT EXAMINATION - the illumination so controlled that it grazes or

strikes the surface of the document from one side at a very low angle.
Decipherment of faded handwriting, determination of outlines in traced forgery,
embossed impressions, etc. are subjected to this type of examination.
TECHNIQUES IN THE EXAMINATION OF QUESTIONED
DOCUMENTS

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXAMINATION - This type of

examination is very essential in every document examination.
Actual observations are recorded in the photographs.

ULTRA-VIOLET EXAMINATION –
reflected, a phenomenon known as FLOURESCENCE.

INFRARED EXAMINATION -.
WRITING MATERIALS
ANACHRONISM – It refers to something wrong in time and in place.
This means that the forger has trouble matching the paper, ink, or writing materials to the
exact date it was supposed to have been written.

PAPER – These are sheets of interlaced fibers - usually cellulose fibers from plants, but
sometimes from cloth rags or other fibrous materials, that is formed by pulping the fibers and
causing to felt, or mat, to form a solid surface.

WATERMARK - Certain papers are marked with a translucent design

-impressed in them during the course of their manufacture.

WRITING MATERIALS – Any material used primarily for writing or recording such as
papers, cardboard, board papers, Morocco paper, etc.
Discussion Quiz
5. What technique of examination which intended to
discover minute physical details?

6. There are two ways to remove the writings, typewriting

or printing, from a document. The first the abrasive erasure
and the second is ______.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT of Paper
PAPYRUS - This came into use about 3,500 B.C. - people of
Egypt. Palestine, Syria, and Southern Europe used the pith (soft spongy tissue
of the stem) of the sedge (grass-like herb) CYPERUS PAPYRUS to make a
writing material known as PAPYRUS.
PARCHMENT - writing material made from skin of animals primarily of
sheep, calves or goats

VELLUM - writing materials from fine skins from young calves or kids and
the term (name) was often used for all kind of parchment manuscripts,
it became the most important writing material for bookmaking, while
parchment continued for special manuscripts.
DEVELOPMENT OF PAPER MANUFACTURING

CAI LUN (TSAI LUN)- invention of paper is generally attributed to a

Chinese court official,, in about A.D. 105.

1495 -first paper mill in England

1690 -The first such mill in America

Nicholas Louis Robert (1798) - The first practical machine was made by
the French inventor

Henry Fourdrinier and Sealy Fourdrinier –the British stationers

brothers improved the Robert’s Machine in 1803 and produced the first
machines that bear their name.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
JOHN LOUD - 1888, patented the first ball point writing tool.

Hungarian inventor brothers LADISLAO and GEORG BIRO -manufactured a

pen with a rolling ball tip in 1938 made from viscous, oil-based ink.

YUKIO HORIE - invented in Japan the first practical fiber tip in 1962.

Indian Inks - The oldest form of Indian ink consisted of a suspension of carbon
black (soot or lampblack) in water to which glue or a vegetable gum was added.

Henry Mill - was an English inventor who patented the first typewriter
in 1714.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT of Writing
Iconograph- arranged objects and drawing on the walls of cave and big stones in
20,000 years.
Ideograph- simple drawing such as stick figures.
Pictograph- simplified picture of the sun, birds and others
Cuneiform System- Mesopotamia in 3200BC perhaps the oldest system of
writing.
Egyptian 3 style of symbol system
– Hieroglyphics (Greek for "sacred writing") is a character of the ancient Egyptian writing system in
which symbols represent objects and ideas.500AD
– Hieratic became the choice of business and private documents
– Demotic –highly cursive form of hieratic developed 700BC.
HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND
EXAMINATION
HANDWRITING - defined handwriting as “visible speech.”

Handwriting/Writing- is the result of a very complicated series of acts, being as a

whole a combination of certain forms, which are the very visible result of mental and
muscular habits, acquired by long, continued, painstaking effort.
- is a visible effect of bodily movements, which is an almost unconscious expression of
certain ideas associated with script form.

KINDS OF WRITINGS:
Cursive – connected; writing in which one letter is joined to the next.
Script – separated or printed writing.
BLOCK – all CAPITAL LETTERS.
Terms involved in
the Study of HANDWRITING
System of Writing- is the combination of basic design of letters and writing
movements as taught in school.
Natural Writing- executed normally without any attempt to control or alters.
Disguised writing- is a way of writing in which the writer deliberately tries to
alters his usual writing habits in the hope of hiding identity.
Hand lettering- is any disconnected style of writing in which the letters are
written separately
Signature- is one’s name written by himself on a document as a sign of
acknowledgement.
Discussion Quiz
7. What kind of writing materials came from fine skins from
young animals?

8. What is the visible effect of bodily movements, which is

an almost unconscious expression of certain ideas
associated with script form?
Handwriting Theory
Handwriting is just as unique as your fingerprints.

Difference between fingerprint and handwriting

– Fingerprints are permanent and do not change
– Handwriting is a learning process and lends itself to change as a normal
process

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Physiological Basis of Handwriting
The impulse to form a letter begin in the cortex (control
vision, hearing, talking and walking:
Group of Muscles:
– Extensor Muscles- pushes up the pen to form the upward strokes
– Flexor Muscles- pushes the pen to form the downward strokes
– Lumbrical Muscles- combination of the two which responsible to
form the lateral strokes.

Agraphia- diseased pertain to one loses the ability to write

CHARACTERISTICS

1. Class Characteristics- are common to a group.

2. Individual Characteristics- -highly personal and peculiar and are

unlikely to occur in other instances
Skill Level Height Baseline Strokes
Slant “I” Dot Alignment Retracing
Form “t” Crossing Pen Lifts Spelling/Spacing
Movement Loops Speed Format
Proportions Pressure Embellishments Case
Entry/Exit
Skill level
The way a writing looks.
Important characteristic of identification or non-
identification.
High skill level VS Low skill level
High Skill Level Low Skill Level

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Recognition of writing characteristics
Form – refers to the shape or design of the individual letters. In connection
with the factor of form, the following points should be taken into consideration

Slope or Slant – It is an angle inclination of the axis of letters relative to the

baseline.
There are three classes:
Slant to the left; Slant to the right; and Vertical Slant.

-Deliberately alteration of slope will affect rhythm and fluency in writing.

 Size –somewhat divergent under varying condition and may have but little
significance when applied to only one example, or to a small quantity of
writing like a signature unless the divergence is very pronounced.

Proportion – generally it refers to the symmetry of individual letter. The

comparative relation between letters and parts of letter.
-Proportion of letters is one of the hidden features of writing. It is
unknown even to the writer.

If the writing is genuine the average height of a letter remains constant relative
to that of other letter even if the size of writing is changed.
 Ratio- the relation between the tall and short letters
-for the purpose of comparison, letters of the alphabet are divided into two
groups namely;
➢ Letters written entirely between the lines are referred to as short.
Ex. a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w and x
➢ Letters with upper or lower loops or other projected portions will be classed as
tall.
Ex. b, d, f, g, h, j, l, p, t, y and z
 Connecting Strokes – refers to the connecting strokes to other letter
the fusion of the terminal stroke of one lowercase cursive letter and the
initial stroke of another.

➢ Classified as:

Circular Angular Elliptical

 Terminal Strokes and Initial Strokes – when completed in a free, natural
writing, the pen is usually raised from the paper while in motion with a
❖ “flying finish” (“vanishing”, “tapering” or “flourishing” terminal strokes)
❖ many writers, the motion of the pen also slightly precedes the putting of the
pen on the paper at the beginning with a “flying start” so that the strokes at the
beginning and end of words gradually diminish or taper to a “vanishing point”.

A- Initial Strokes

B- Terminal Stroke
 Pen Lift- it is an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the pen from the
paper.
➢ It has little significant value, because it governed several conditions:
➢ Slow and carefully executed writing will exhibit many pen lifts
➢ Rapid writing will exhibit no pen lift

Hiatus- is a gap between strokes due to speed in writing and defective writing
instruments.
Lateral Spacing- is considered as a common characteristic
when it conforms to the ordinary copy-book-form.
– Wide spacing or cramping of letters maybe regarded as personal
characteristics.
– Spacing of words is often a feature in handwriting.
– It remains constant even when handwriting is disguised or
written in limited spaces.
Shading- it is the widening of the ink strokes with increase pressure on the paper
surface. It is due to the splitting of the pen-nib resulting in the widening of the ink
lines as controlled by the variation in the pen pressure.
Forger who is unfamiliar with the manner and
manipulation of the pen by another person will
have difficulty in imitating the exact portion of
shading and may result to retouching .
 Alignment- is the relation of the parts of the whole line of writing
or line of individual letters in words or signature to the baseline.

Line Quality- refers to the visible record in the written stroke of the
basic movement and manner of holding the writing instrument.
➢ It is derived from a combination of factors including writing skill,
speed rhythm, freedom of movement, shading, and pen position.

Strong, Heavy and Forceful Smooth, Flowing and Rapid Hesitation and Painful
 Pen pressure- it is the average force in which the pen makes
contact with the paper or the usual force involved in writing.

Pen position -It refers to the relationship between the pen point and
the paper.

Pen hold -The place where the writer grasps the barrel of the pen and
the angle at which he holds it.
Tremor- means “deviations from uniform strokes due to lack of
smoothness perfectly apparent even without magnification”.

Rhythm – It is the balanced quality of movements of the

harmonious recurrence of stress or impulse. It is the flowing
succession of motion that is recorded in a written record.
 Rubric or embellishment- refers to additional unnecessary strokes
not necessary to legibility of letterforms or writing but incorporated
in writings but incorporated in writing for decorative or ornamental
purposes.

This serves as “security” to make a

signature more difficult to
imitate or forge.
Discussion Quiz
9. Is hiatus is intentional act of a writer?

10. It refers to the relationship between the pen point and

the paper.

11. It pertains to the relation between the tall and short

letters.
Factors Affecting Handwriting
a. Environment

b. Education

c. Occupation
Common Terms and Description of Letters

Beard – a rudimentary curved initial strokes ex. L, F, G, Y

Blunt Ending or Beginning – blunt ending and initial strokes

are results of the drawing process in forgery

Buckle Knot- the horizontal and looped strokes that are often
used to complete such letters ex.

Buckle, c, f, h, k, z,
Central Part of the Body- the part of a letter ordinarily formed by a
small circle that usually lies on the line of writing
b, d, g, p
o, b, e, w
Eye loop or eyelet – the small loop formed by strokes that extend in
divergent direction.

terminates on the baseline

p, j, g
Foot of the letter or Oval - lower portion of any down stroke which

Diacritic – an element added to complete certain letters ex i, t

Hook – the bend, crook or curve on the inner side of the bottom
loop or curve of small letter.
h, m, n, e, k
Hump- the rounded outside of the bend, crook, or curve in small
letters. h, m, n,

Majuscule - a capital letter.

Minuscule - a small letter.

l, h, t
Spur- short, horizontal beginning strokes

Whirl – the upward strokes usually on

letters that have long loops
Retrace or Retracing – a stroke that goes back over
another writing stroke

Retouching or Patching – a stroke that goes back to repair

a defective portion of writing.

Stroke Structure – a series of line and curves to form a

letter.
Discussion Quiz
12. It refers to the description of letter pertaining to
additional stroke to complete a certain letter.

13. It refers to the description of capital letters in the

alphabet
Movement –important element of handwriting.
It embraces all of the factors which are related to the
motion of writing instrument in which the pen moves in
order to form a letter.
Three Classes of Movement:
Garlanded - the pen moves underhand or counter-clockwise producing
rounded lower letter formations.
Arcaded – the pen moves overhand or clockwise producing rounded letter
formations.
Angular – the pen moves overhand or clockwise producing saw-toothed letter
formations.
KINDS OF MOVEMENT
Finger Movement - the thumb, the first, second and slightly the third
fingers are in actual motion. Most usually employed by children and
illiterates.
Hand Movement - produced by the movement or action of the whole
hand with the wrist as the center of attraction.
Forearm Movement - the movement of the shoulder, hand and arm
with the support of the table.
Whole Forearm Movement - action of the entire arm without resting.
i.e., blackboard writing.
Factors of Handwriting Identification
Form Proportion
System of writing Average and deviation
Movement Slant
Muscular habit Alignment
Skill Punctuations
Instrument used Connection
Pen position Embellishment
Line quality Trademark
Shading Connecting strokes
Spacing Pen stop
Straight line Pen lift
Curves Tremors
Angles
Factors that affect the writing: Five “S” in Handwriting
-pressure - Slant
- fatigue - Spacing
- Speed
-threat
- Skill
- ill - Stroke structure
- position
- nervousness Speed Classified as:
-age ----slow or drawn----
- condition ----deliberate----
----average----
----rapid-----
Standards /Exemplars- They are known writings which
indicate how a person writes.

Three classes of handwriting standards

– Collected exemplars –
– Request Exemplars
– Post Litem Mortam Exemplars – writings produced by the
subject after evidential writings have come into dispute
and solely for the purpose of establishing his contentions.
Source of Standards:
-Files -Workplace -Previous employments
How to obtain Collected Standards:

1. Collect at least 8-20 standards;

2. Collected standards should bear similarity of subject matter;

3. The date of preparation must be five (5) years before & five (5) years after
the incident happened;

4. There should be similarity of the instrument used in writing;

5. The writing condition and the manner of execution must be similar to the
execution of the questioned writing.
How to obtain Requested Standards:

1. Dictate, never allow the suspect to see the document;

2. The text that is to be dictated must be carefully selected; do not dictate

exactly the content to prevent familiarity of the document;

3. Dictation must be conducted for three times;

4. Dictation must be interrupted & on an interval basis so that the subject will
feel relax and write in his own natural writing.

5. The normal writing condition of the subject must be arranged, so that the
writer will feel to write the dictation.
SIGNATURE
is a name of person written by himself on a document as a sign of
acknowledgement.
It is a combination of rather limited letters and designs but due to its frequent
use, it becomes almost automatic with many writers.

Two personal style of signature

Conventional Signature – ordinary copy book form wherein the letters are
legible;
Highly Individualized Signature –series of intertwining strokes,
ornamentations and flourishes.
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Three Classes of Signature
Formal Signature – a complete, correct signature for an important
document such as a will.

Informal Signature – cursory signature for routine documents and

personal correspondence.
– 1. Personalized
– 2. Semi-personalized

Careless Scribble – a receipt signature that are hastily written under

adverse writing conditions to acknowledge delivery of parcel,
registered mail, or merchandise.
Forged Signature
– is the signature of another person, or a fictitious person,
written by a person who has no authority to do so, with
intent to defraud.
Discussion Quiz
14. What is the kinds movement which involve the
shoulder, hand and arm with the support of the table.

15. What term refers to a combination of rather limited

letters and designs but due to its frequent use, it becomes
almost automatic with many writers?
Classes of Forged Signature
SIMPLE FORGERY (spurious forgery) – forger does not try to copy a model but
writes something resembling what we ordinarily call a signature.

SIMULATED OR FREEHAND IMITATION FORGERY – executed purely by

simulation rather than by tracing the outline of a genuine signature .

Simulated with the model before the forger

Direct technique –works directly with ink.
Indirect technique –work first with pencil and afterwards cover the pencil with ink

Simulated freehand forgery – used by forgers who have certain skill in writing.
TRACED SIGNATURE – a tracing of genuine signature outline such as
• direct tracing, by means of transmitted light
• indirect tracing, through a carbon paper
Types of traced signatures:
1. carbon process-
2. indentation process-
3. transmitted light process

Forgery by means of stamped facsimile of a genuine signature or

model.
FORGERY
Forgery – with intent on the part of its maker to defraud.

It is similar to spurious signature or fraudulent signature

it is also the alteration of an instrument (document, writing)

from its genuine state
Crimes Against Public Interest
Article 161-189 of RPC
Examples of Questioned
Documents
Counterfeiting
it is the crime of making, circulating or uttering
false coins and bank notes, with intent to defraud
others into accepting it as a genuine item.
it is one of the oldest crime in the history

Counterfeit- also applied to fraudulent imitation,

such as spurious trademarks, dies or works of art.
Typewriters and Printing Devices
The examination of typewriters and printing devices are:

– whether the make and model of the typewriter and printing devices used to
prepare the questioned document can be identified.

– whether a particular suspect typewriter or printing device can be identified as

having prepared the questioned document.

In order to do this, the individual type character’s style, shape, and

size are compared to a complete reference collection of past and
present typefaces.
Characteristics of Typewriter
a. PICA – characterized by 10 letters per inch

b. ELITE – characterized by 12 letters per inch

c. Teletype – characterized by 6 letters per inch

d. Special Typewriter – characterized by 14 to 16 letters per inch