Questioned documents examination -a forensic science field of study relating to documents

that are in dispute to the court of law. Its elementary purpose is to provide evidence about a
questionable/disputed document using scientific processes and methods.

Wignore's Principles of judicial Proof, handwriting is defined as a visible effect of. bodily
movement which is an almost unconscious expression of fixed muscular habits, reacting from
fixed mental impression of certain ideas associated with script form.

Roy A. Huber-acquired skill and completely one of the complex perceptual motor task also
referred to neuro-muscular task.

Kinds of muscles involved in writing movements

Extensor- muscles responsible for the upwards movements/ upward strokes

Flexor- muscles responsible for the downward movements/downward strokes

Lumbrical-combination of the extensors and flexor muscles that form a lateral strokes

Motor coordination-various muscles work together to produce written forms.

Types of handwriting movement

Finger movement-commonly employed by beginners. It is the action of the thumb, index and
middle fingers in writing, this writing movement result into a rough line s and irregular
connections between letters. The motion of the pen appears slow and dull.

Hand movement- writing movement that has limited freedom and involves the action of the
entire hand, the wrist is the pivotal point of the writing.

Forearm movement-most skillful type of movement. It includes the motion of the arm while the
hands and fingers are steady.

Whole arm movement- it is used in ornament or large writings.

Kinds of handwriting

 Cursive- writing in which the letters are for the most part joined together
 Handlettering or scripted- separated/ disconnected
 Block – all capital letters

CHARACTERISTICS OF WRITING

- Refer to the distinguishing trait, quality and property found in a writing that serves a s
identifying details.

Types of characteristics

 Class characteristics- these are characteristics that can be found commonly in the
specimen writing of a person.
 Individual characteristics- highly peculiar and personal which is unlikely to occur in other
handwriting.

Elements form in writing

 Form- refers to shape of the individual letters.

 Slant- refers to the relative degree of writing inclination relative to the baseline.Slope of the
writing.

 Baseline- an imaginary or straight line in which the writing rest.(ruled) Alignment- relation of
parts of whole writing relative to the baseline.

 Arc- rounded inner part of an upper curve, bend or crook.

 Beard- is an introductory up and down strokes found in some capital letters. Also called
double hitch.

 Blunt- characterized by abrupt beginning or end(no diminishing stroke)

 Buckle knot- horizontal or loop strokes(diacritic-important added stroke to complete the

letter)

 Central part- is the body of the letter characterized by small rounded or circular strokes.

 Ductus-link and ductus brokenLigature(connection) refers to the connection between

each letters which are either joined or disconnected.

 Eyelet/ eyeloop- refers to small oblong strokes usually found on a lower case letters.

 (loop-oblong curve)upper loop,lower loop.(Blind and open loop)

 linear letter – lower case letters without ascending or descending strokes.

 supralinear-vertically above to the linear letters(ascender)

 infralinear- vertically below the linear letters. (Descender)

 Double length letter( long letter)

 Stem/staff- long downward strokes of the letter (backbone of the letter)

 Whirl- upstroke of a looping ascender

 Hitch- introductory backward strokes found in capital and small letters.

 Humps- outer curves portion or surface of the letter.

 Knob- tiny pool of an ink found at the beginning or ending stroke of a letter. It is also termed
as “ BLOTS”
 Initial or terminal spur- a long running initial and terminal strokes of a letter diminishing
stroke

 Embellishment/rubrics- this are flourishes and designs useful only for ornamentation but
not essential or unnecessary to the legibility of ones writing.

 Ascender- part of a letter that rises above the baseline

 Descender-part of a letter that goes below the baseline

Line Quality – is the visible records in the written strokes of the basic movements and manner
of holding instrument. It is derived from a combination of factors, including writing skill, speed,
rhythm, freedom of movement, shading and pen emphasis.

The quality of movement can be distinguished into five classes;

- Clumsy, illiterate and halting

- Hesitating and painful through weakness or disease
- Nervous and irregular
- Strong , heavy and forceful
- Smooth flowing and rapid

Elements of writing movement

Pen pressure- this refers to the degree of weight applied in a writing which may be heavy or
light

Pen emphasis- it is the act of intermittently or periodically forcing the pen against the paper
surface with an increase in speed.

Rhythm-quality of handwriting characterized by the harmonious recourse or balance of motion

of handwriting.

Skill- it refers to the degree of proficiency of a person’s writing

Speed- it refers to the rate of movements of a writer and interpreted as either fast , slow or
rapid.

Pen lift -the interruption of the strokes caused by the sudden removal of the pen and leaves a
gap at certain points of a word or letter.

Hiatus- a gap produce within a letter when the writing instrument leaves the paper through
speed.

Shading- widening of a line of a letter because of the application of pressure and there is an
increase in the width of the strokes.

Pen position- it is the location and angle of the pen to the surface of the paper.

Pen scope- refers to the reach of the hand or the coverage of writing while the wrist is at rest.
Retracing/ retraced- stroke that goes back over another writing strokes that creates
superimposition of line in the letter.

Retouching/ patching- stroke that goes back over the defective portion of the strokes to
correct or alter the words or letters being written.

Principles in Identification
 No two writers write exactly alike.
 The physical writing condition and position of the person including his writing instrument
may affect the handwriting characteristics but they do not confine all its identity
elements.
 A writer cannot exceed his maximum writing ability or skill without serious effort and
training over a period of time.
 The combination of handwriting characteristics including those derived from form and
movements are essential elements of identification.
 Individuality in handwriting can only be determined through comparison examination with
standard written or prepared under comparable conditions.
 Similarity does not mean identity.
 Complete identity means definite forgery.
 Sufficiency of specimens
Factors that affect writing characteristics

Natural Variations – is the usual or normal deviation found in a repeated specimen of an

individual’s handwriting or in the product of any typewriter.

Transitory Change – are meant to those changes which only continue to exist while the basic
cause of the deterioration is still affecting the writer, once the such cause has been removed
from the writer, the writing will reverts in its normal form.

Tremor – is the weakening of the strokes characterized by a wavering or shaky strokes.

. Genuine Tremor

 Weakness of sickness

 Old age

 Illiteracy (lack of skills)

 Tremor of Fraud

 SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

 Analysis – properties or characteristics, observed or measured.

 Comparison – Properties or characteristics of the unknown determined through analysis
are now compared with the familiar or concerned properties of known
 Evaluation – Similarities or dissimilarities in properties or characteristics will each have
a significance of each must therefore be considered.
 Verification – It is the process of double checking the accuracy and correctness of the
examination usually conducted by other experts in the said field.