Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Questioned Document Lectures
Questioned Document Lectures
Questioned Document:
One in which the facts appearing therein are not true, and are
contested either in whole or in part with respect to its
authenticity, identity, or origin. It may be a deed, contract, will,
election ballots, marriage contract, checks, visas, application
form, certificates, etc.
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3. Questioned or disputed holographic wills.
a. Holographic Will – will entirely written in the handwriting
of the testator
b. Notarial Will – signed by the testator acknowledge before a
notary public with three witnesses
4. Documents investigated on the question of typewriting.
a. with a view of ascertaining their source
b. with a view of ascertaining their date
c. with a view of determining whether or not they contain
fraudulent alterations or substituted pages
5. Documents on issues of their age or date.
6. Documents on issues of materials used in their production.
7. Documents or writings investigated because it is alleged that
they identify some persons through handwriting.
a. anonymous and disputed letters, and
b. superscriptions, registrations and miscellaneous writings
8. Genuine documents erroneously or fraudulently altered or
disputed.
Document:
In the case of People vs. Moreno, CA, 338 O.G. 119, a document
is any written document by which a right is established or an
obligation is extinguished.
Kinds of Documents:
Under the Philippine Law, the following are the four kinds of
documents:
Note:
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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.
Standard Document:
1. Handwriting examination
a. examination of signatures and initials
b. examination of anonymous letters
c. hand printing examination
2. Typewriting examination
3. Examination of inks
4. Erasures, alterations or obliterations, etc.
5. Counterfeiting
DOCUMENT EXAMINATION
Objectives:
Importance/Significance:
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a. In the commission of a crime, the criminal often finds
necessary to employ one or more documents in furtherance of his act.
Purposes:
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the wall, on the lap, or lying in bed? Sitting in bed, lying on his
back or side? For example a document could have been signed in a
moving automobile or while having a drink at the bar.
Definition of Terms:
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Terminology Concerning Stroke characteristics:
Body – the main portion of the letter, minus the initial of stroke.
Terminal strokes and the diacritic of any. Example: the oval of the
letter “O” is the body, minus the downward stroke and the loop.
Diacritic – “t” crossing and dots of the letters “I” and “j”. The
matters of the Indian script are also known as diacritic signs. An
element added to complete a certain letter, either a cross bar or a
dot.
Foot – the lower parts which rest on the base line. The small letter
“m” has three feet, and the small letter “n” has two feet.
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Hook – it is a minute curve or an ankle which often occurs at the
end of the terminal strokes. It is also sometimes occur at the
beginning of an initial stroke. The terminal curves of the letters
“a”, “d”, “n”, “m’, “p”, “u’, are the hook. In small letter “w” the
initial curve is the hook. The minute involuntary talon like
formation found at the commencement of an initial up stroke or the
end terminal stroke.
Hump – upper portion of its letter “m”, “n”, “h”, “k”. The rounded
outside of the top of the bend stroke or curve in small letter.
Knob – the extra deposit of ink in the initial and terminal stroke
due to the slow withdrawal of the pen from the paper. (usually
applicable to fountain pen)
Loop – an oblong curve such as found on the small letters “f”, “go”,
“l” and letters stroke “f” has two. A loop maybe blind or open. A
blind loop is usually the result of the ink having filled the open
space.
Oval – the portion of the letter which is oval in shape. The small
letter stroke “a” , “d” , “g” , and “q” contain oval letter
“a” , “t” while coming down……….
Pen Scope – Represents the reach of the hand with the wrist at rest.
It is the average scope or limits of the pen during the process of
writing with the wrist of the hand at still.
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Shoulder – outside portion of the top curve, small letter “m” has
three shoulders and the small letter “n” has two, the small letter
“h” has one shoulder.
Staff – Any major long downward stroke of a letter that is the long
downward stroke of the letter “b”, “g”.
Stem or Shank – the upright long downward stroke that is the trunk
or stalk, normally seen in capital letters.
Tick/ Hitch – any short stroke, which is usually at the top of the
letters.
Kinds of Characteristics:
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Line quality – is the overall character of the inks lines from the
beginning to the ending strokes.
Two classes:
a. Good line quality
b. poor line quality
Proportion or Ratio – is the relation between the tall and the short
letter is referred as to the ratio of writing.
Pen Pressure – the average force with which the pen contacts the
paper may be estimated from the examination of the writing. Pen
pressure as opposed to pen emphasis deals with the usual of average
force involved in the writing rather than the period increases.
Pen Emphasis – the act of intermittently forcing the pen against the
paper surfaces with increase pressure. When the pen point has
flexibility, this emphasis produces shading, but with more rigid
writing points heavy point emphasis can occur in writing with out
any evidence of shading.
Pen Pressure – the average force with which the pen contacts the
paper or the usual force involves in writing. This is one of the
most personal but somewhat hidden characteristics in writing.
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a. Slant to the left
b. Slant to the right
c. Vertical slant
Speed of Writing – not every one writer as the same rate so that
consideration of the speed of writing may be a significant
identifying element. Writing speed cannot be measured precisely form
the finished handwriting but can be interpose in broad terms of
slow, moderates, or rapid.
Handwriting:
Hence as each writer has his own way of holding his hand,
manipulating the pen, and exerting pressure, the same pen in
different hands will produce entirely different strokes.
This center near the motor area of the cortex responsible for
the finger movement involved in handwriting. The importance of this
center is that when it becomes diseased as in a graphic, one loses
the ability to write although he could still grasp a fountain pen,
ball pen or pencil.
Thus the ability or power to hold a fountain pen or pencil to
from symbols and words can be said to emanate from its cortical
center.
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flaxen by a group of muscle called the flexor muscles which push the
pen to from the downward strokes.
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A more or less definite pattern for each is stored away in the
subjective mind but the hand does not always produce a stereotype
duplicate of that pattern. This is due to extraneous influences such
as fatigue, lack of nervous tone, or muscular coordination, sickness
and the like.
Kinds of Writing:
Development of Writing:
Handwriting Problems:
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Writing Habits:
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3. The likeness in form maybe general and simply indicate the class
or genus or the difference that does not differentiate maybe nearly
superficial.
Stroke:
3. Speed – whether the movement has been rapid or slow and whether
the space has been steady or variable.
Motor Coordination:
Rhythm in Handwriting:
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Lack of Rhythm:
Importance of Rhythm:
Letter of Connections:
STANDARDS OR EXEMPLARS
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a year of the date questioned document, with some written within
weeks or days of the questioned writing.
Miscellaneous:
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a. The laboratory should be informed of the age apparent health and
physical condition of the time standards are written.
b. Do not fold, staple or pin document, handle questioned documents
with care.
c. Indicate in the sample handwriting the time, place, date,
signature of writer as well as witness of the handwriting.
1. Canceled checks.
2. Signature cards for savings, checking and charge accounts and
safe deposit boxes.
3. Signed receipts for telegrams, special delivery or registered
letters, express and store packages, etc.
4. Business and personal letters.
5. Credit applications and cards.
6. Signature on sales slips, on job orders slips, requisition slips,
and purchase slips.
7. Leases, mortgages, agreements, bills of sale, contracts, deeds,
notes stock certificates and transfers and other legal or business
documents.
8. Court records and affidavits, such as naturalization papers,
bankruptcy proceedings, divorce papers, probated wills and estate
files, powers of attorney, etc.
9. Passports, marriage application, license and affidavits.
10. Driver automobile chauffeur, and other types of licensee
applications.
11. Application for gas, electricity, water and telephone services.
12. Loan application and receipts.
13. Tax returns or affidavits.
14. Insurance and employment applications.
15. Records from currency exchanges, check cashing agencies and
pawnshop.
16. Time sheets, payroll, pay receipts and personal forms.
17. Barangay registrations, petitions.
18. Relief and unemployment and old age compensation records.
19. Signature for certain drug purchases, hotel registrations.
20. Church, club, professional society records.
21. Veteran records.
22. Fingerprint records.
23. School or university class records and cards.
24. Application for clearances like in the office of municipal and
city courts, city fiscals office, N.B.I. and other government and
private offices.
25. Application for firearms and licenses.
26. Application for commission and enlistments in the AFP and
foreign armed forces offices.
27. Application for export and import and dollar allocations
28. Identification cards.
29. Application for right like water rights, copyrights, patents,
franchises, etc.
30. Application for civil service examination, board and bar
examinations.
31. Application for scholarships.
32. Residence certificate, class A and B, reservist data sheet.
33. Others.
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typical of the writer’s handwriting under any specific writing
condition. (Hilton)
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b. Old age deterioration – very difficult problems may be
encountered with signatures which have seriously deteriorated due to
the writers age or to terminal illness. Writing is characterized by
a lack of fluency in the execution and inaccuracy and inconsistency
in details of form. Study of a series of signature to signature than
was typical of vigorous signatures of earlier years. The
inconsistency of these signatures complicates the problem. In order
to reach the most accurate conclusions, two or three times the
normal number of signatures may be needed, and must be closer in
date to the signature in question than in the usual case.
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evidence, particularly in civil cases, has been held to be
sufficient proof to admit records of this nature as standard of
writing for comparison.
4. Condition under which both the questioned and the standard are
prepared.
a. Paper rested on the knee
b. Standing
c. Sitting
d. Lying down
e. Moving vehicle
- The document examiner must make a brief investigation into
the condition under which a document was written.
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a. Paper – Determine whether the questioned writing was
written in the ruled pad paper or plain paper.
b. Writing instrument – Determine whether the questioned
writing was written in ball point pen, fountain pen, etc.
2. Use of about the same size as the questioned materials, type out
a full word copy of the message in question, typographical errors,
using nearly as possible the same degree of touch as that used in
typing the questioned materials.
4. Make certain that each specimen contain the make, model and
serial number of the typewriter from which it was produced as well
as the date and initials of the offices.
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7. Unusual widening or restriction of lateral spacing.
Kinds of Disguises:
HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION
Principle of Identification:
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Early developed and mature handwriting shows peculiarities
which are combination of all various and their cannot be exactly
duplicated in the writing of any other person.
General Characteristics:
They might include an open top small letter “t” which occurs
in any rapid careless writings, proportion of all letters to medium
letters, slant connection and combination of letters.
Individual Characteristics:
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4. Motor coordination – the efficient way which the various muscles
writing work together to produce written forms. A writer with a good
motor coordination writes without mental strain, forming his letters
without conscious attention. The hand moves as soon as the mind
conceives a word to write and the word is there on the paper. There
are times when one set of muscles do not properly yield to the
pressure of the other set muscles especially at junction and the
conflict hinders the normal flow of the pen. This dis-coordination
of writing muscles leaves a distinct mark which is visible under
magnification. Two writers of the same class may not have equal
coordination or dis-coordination their writings. Each write has his
own width regard to alignment and the relative position of the
letters.
6. Skill – legibility and symmetry are the basis upon which one’s
skill or pictorial aspect is judged. Skill is classified as poor,
medium, and good.
10. Pen hold – this location of the shading can give clue to how the
fountain pen is held. If the pen is held pointing to the right
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shoulder, shading appears fairly high or long the sides of circular
form. This is shown in small letter ‘d”. If the pen is held pointing
away from the right shoulder, shading tends to appear at the top and
the bottom of circular formation such as small letters “o”, “a”, and
“d”.
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length may be evidence difference might be the result of intended
disguise.
Causes of Variations:
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It is impossible to illustrate and define all the thousands of
actual and possible individual qualities and characteristics of
writing and weight and measure their comparative values for the
reason that these values differ greatly with different writers and
under varying conditions. It is very important to have an
understanding of the principles by which the force and significance
of characteristics are to be measured.
Correct Conclusion:
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a. Ordinary copy-book form.
b. Usual systematic slant.
c. Ordinary scale of proportion or ratio.
d. Conventional spacing.
1. Kinds of movement
a. Forearm
b. Whole arm
2. Quality of movement
a. Awkward, illiterate and uncertain.
b. Hesitating and painful due to weakness and illness.
c. Strong, heavy and forceful.
d. Nervous and irregular.
e. Smooth, flowing and rapid.
3. Speed
a. Slow and drawn
b. Deliberate
c. Average
d. Rapid
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3. Size and proportion – determine the height go the overall writing
as well as the heights go the individual strokes in proportion to
each other.
4. Alignment – are they horizontally aligned, or curving, uphill or
downhill?
HANDPRINTING
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Anachronism – This 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.
Definition of Signature:
Classes of Signature:
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Signature in documents must be examined exhaustively and
scrutinized in every detail to avoid error in judgment.
Step 4 - Examine the beginning and ending lines, they are very
significant, determine whether the appearance blunt, club-shaped,
tapered or vanishing.
Indication of Genuineness:
a. Carelessness
b. Spontaneity
c. alteration of thick and thin strokes.
d. Speed
e. Simplification
f. Upright letters are interspersed with slanting letters
g. The upward strokes to a threadlike tracing.
h. Rhythm
i. Good line quality
j. Variation
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b. Simulated free hand forgery – used by forgers who have a
certain skill in writing. After some practice, the forger tries to
write a copy of the model quickly.
3. Simple Forgery – forger does not try to copy a model but writes
with something resembling we ordinarily call a signature. For this
he uses a false name and makes a rapid stroke, disturbing his usual
writing by adopting a camouflage called disguise.
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To fully understand the principles of tracing the age of the
writing materials used in questioned documents, it is imperative for
a questioned documents examiner to be aware of the evolution and
development of papers. When such paper was first introduced or used,
physical changes on papers and the importance of water marks, are
some of the valuable things that an investigator should know to come
up with a more conclusive opinion.
Esparto – a grass grown in Libya, also in Spain and North Africa was
first introduced in England in 1861.
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Straw – was used to make paper in 1800.
Sulphite – paper from wood was not attempted until 1869 and paper
called SULPHITE (modern type) was first used between 1880 and 1890.
Oldest Manuscript – letters dated 874 A.D. have been found in Egypt
and the oldest manuscript in England on cotton paper dated 1890 A.D.
Watermarks:
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The dandy roll through constant usage will somehow be damaged.
This damage is also known as caused by WERA and TEAR which become
progressively more and more as time goes by. The damage on the dandy
roll will leave some peculiar markings on the watermark of the paper
manufactured or all papers that will pass through the damaged dandy
roll.
Discoloration:
Causes of Discoloration:
Quill Pens
It is a hollow, horny part of large feather usually from goose
and was used for writing on parchment. Poland, Germany, Russia, and
the Netherlands were the largest producers of quill.
Although quill pens can be made from the outer wing feathers
of any bird, those of goose, swan, crow and later turkey, were
preferred. The earliest reference (6th century A.D.) to quill pens
was made by the Spanish Theologian ST. ISIDORE OF SEVILLE, and this
tool was the principal writing implement for nearly 1300 years.
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The writer had to recut the quill pen frequently to maintain
its edge. By the 18th century, the width of the edge had diminished
and the length of the slit had increased creating a flexible point
that produced thick and thin strokes by pressure on the point rather
than by the angle at which the broad edge was held.
The first patented steel pen point was made by the English
engineer BRYAN DONKIN in 1803. The leading 19 th century English pen
manufacturers were WILLIAM JOSEPH GILLOT, WILLIAM MITCHELL, and
JAMES STEPHEN PERRY.
It was the first writing tool that had, the writing end
slightly worn like a brush. About 2,000 years B.C., this reed pen
was first used in NEAR EAST on papyrus and later on parchment.
Early ball point pens did not write well; they tended to skip,
and the slow-drying oil-based ink smudged easily. However, the ball
point pen had several advantages over the fountain pen:
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a. The ink was waterproof and almost inerasable;
b. The ball point pen could write on many kinds of surfaces
and could be hold in almost any position for writing; and
c. The pressure required to feed the ink was ideal for making
carbon copies.
The first practical fiber tip pen was invented by YUKIO HORIE
of Japan in 1962. it was ideally suited to the strokes of Japanese
writing, which is traditionally done with a pointed ink brush.
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1. 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. Inks of this composition are still on the
market mostly in the shape of sticks or cakes. In modern carbon ink,
the glue or gum is replaced by a solution of shellac in borax or
ammonia. These inks are not affected by oxidants. It is practically
impossible to remove the last traces of the carbon from the paper
without causing damage to it.
5. Dyestuff Inks
These inks are composed of aqueous solutions of synthetic
dyestuffs, to which a preservative and a flux are added. The writing
qualities of the ink are improved by addition of substances such as
glycerol, glucose or dextrin.
The dark blue and black inks are often composed of four or
more dyes because no black dyestuff of sufficient tinctorial
capacity is known.
6. Water Resistant Writing and Drawing Inks
These inks are special group of dyestuff inks. They consist of
a pigment paste and a solution of shellac made soluble in water by
means of borax, liquid ammonia or ammonium bicarbonate. Sometimes
the pigment suspension is combined with acid or basic dyestuff.
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in these inks consists of acid dyes, sometimes combined with phthalc
cyanide dyes.
These inks are not much in demand because they are rather
expensive and because the material of many fountain pens is affected
by them. The best known of these inks are the Parker super chrome
inks which in the colors black, blue-black, blue, red and green.
Phthalocyanine dye is found in the blue super chrome inks. The super
chrome inks were already obtainable since 1950, which fact maybe of
importance for the determination of the age of a document.
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suspension and eventual removal of the carbon and other ingredients
by the water.
Typewriter Defined:
Evolution of Typewriters:
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Six years later, Christopher Latham Sholes entered an
agreement with ELIPHALET REMINGTON and SONS, GUNSMITH and SEWING
MACHINES MANUFACTURERS, the company produced the REMINGTON MODEL I.
Four years later, REMINGTON MODEL II was introduced having
both the lower and upper case of the alphabet. MARK TWAIN was among
the first to buy a typewriter and the first to submit a typewritten
manuscript to a publisher.
Typewriting Identification:
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The typewriter has become an instrument of world wide
importance in the correspondence and commerce of the world and
therefore could be an effective screen for commuting crime.
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sickness such as a torn ribbon which will give an incomplete
impression of the character or dust which may choke the mechanism of
the stroke. It is only the permanent faults which permit of a
positive identification.
Platen – The cylinder which serve as the backing of the paper and
which absorbs the blow from the typeface.
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Transitory Defects – An identifying typewriter characteristic which
can be eliminated by cleaning.
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7. Whether additional words of sentences have been written at the
end of the paragraph.
8. Whether the entire document was written by one machine.
9. Whether the document was written by a particular suspected
typewriter.
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