QUESTION DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

7
Signatures

MR.MARCSON B. REYES,RCrim.
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Signatures
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Forensic Document Examination is the study of

physical evidence, and physical evidence
cannot lie. Only failure to fit it or to hear its
true testimony can deprive it of its value”…
Richard Huber
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TRUST THE PROCESS

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Classification of Suspect Signature

Seven Classifications of suspect signatures (according to “Suspects Documents” Harisson):

1. forged signature where no attempt has been made to make a copy of the genuine signature of
the person purporting to sign the document;
2. forged “signatures of fictitious persons”
3. forged signatures which closely resemble the genuine signature since they have been produced
by a tracing process;
4. forged signatures which resemble the genuine signature, written freehand to produce what is
known as a “simulated forgery”;
5. genuine signatures which have been obtained by trickery;
6. genuine signatures which the writers are honestly unwilling to accept as genuine;
7. genuine signatures which have been deliberately written illegibly or in unusual manner, so as to
afford the signatories some plausible grounds for disclaiming them should they deem it expedient.
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Indicators of Simulated and Traced Forgery
The following are the indications stroke of simulated and traced forgery;

1. Absence of rhythm
2. Carefulness or unusual care and deliberation
3. Observed contrast between upward and downward strokes.
4. Slow writing
5. Absence of spontaneity or lack of smoothness of letters
6. Restrained writing or lack of freedom or “inhibited” movements
7. Absence of variation
8. Patching - This may be done in order to make the signature more readable or because a defect
in the pen or paper has affected what we perceived to be our “normal” signature.
9. Pen Lifts and hesitation - This is occasioned when the pen stops at an unusual point in the
writing, perhaps where a radical change in direction is about to take place or a new letter formation
is about to be started. This may take the appearance of a small gap in the written lie where one is
not expected, or an overlapping of two ink lines where there should be only one continuously line.
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10. Tremor - It is because the creation of most forms of non-genuine signatures are little
more than drawings, the pen is moving slowly that small, almost microscopic, changes in
direction take place in what should be a fluid-looking line. The result line is not smooth,
but reflects the “shaking” pen.
11. Speed and Pressure - Because the pen is moving slowly rather than with the
dynamic movement associated with most genuine writings, the ink lines remains
constant in thickness, resulting from the same constant pressure exerted on a slowly
moving pen.
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Defects of Forged Signatures

 A forged signature is based upon the presence of defects in the signature.
These faults of forgery are determined through a study of the questioned signature
and comparison of the various genuine signatures of the writer.
 The greatest defect of an imitated forgery is its poor execution revealed in slow or
hesitant writing movement, pen lifts and interruptions, and patching and reworking of
the signature. A forged signature, however, is also apt to be deficient in form. Forgery
is established by a combination of abnormalities in a questioned signature which are
not found among a group of genuine signatures.
Hesitation in Forged Signatures - Hesitation and slow writing movement are
other common defects of imitated forgeries. The finished signature is not necessarily
made up entirely of strokes of this nature, but many forgeries contain recurring defects of
this type.
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GENUINESS OF WRITING
1. What is genuine signature?
 Genuine signatures are normally smoothly written and executed with at least, moderate speed
containing an occasional uncertain stroke or signs of an occasional slow writing movement.
 Pen lifts and interruptions in genuine signatures may be perfectly natural. It may writers have
fixed habits of taking the pen from the paper and starting a new.
 Some do it spasmodically, joining the letter combinations in some signatures and writing them
separately in others. The ending is free; the start if free. They may connect or they may not.
2. When a forgery established?
 A forgery is established when it can be shown that the signature is unnatural either in the way
that it is written or in its form. Most frequently, both types of faults are present.
3. Signature written under abnormal condition
 Signatures written under abnormal such as when the writer is standing, reclining, riding or
writing upon an uneven surface are not completely characteristics. The written document or
signatures is not his natural writing, but that does not mean is signatures are not genuine; they
are merely variable.
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STANDARDS
There being no doubt as to the origin of this writing, it will likely survive an attack upon its
writing and frequently provide a clear cut, demonstrable opinion of either authenticity or
spuriousness. Handwriting standards are frequently referred to as “exemplars”, “specimens,” or
“knowns.” These terms are for the most part interchangeable, however some laboratories assign
slightly different meanings to one or more of these terms, such as referring to “exemplars” as
“requested” standards.
Standard
 They are known writings which indicate how a person writes. A writer manifests fixed habits in
his writing that identify him. This fact provides the basis for an opinion of conclusion regarding
any writing identification problem.
 Standard in questioned document investigation refers to those things whose origins are known
and can be proven and which can be legally used as samples to compare with other matters in
question.
 In handwriting identification, the standard of comparison or what is commonly referred to as the
basis of comparison consists of known authenticated writing of a person.
Sample - A selected representative portion of the whole is known as a sample. In this text, the term
“sample” follows closely the statistical usage.
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Types of Handwriting Standards

1. Collected/procured/Non-Request standards- Standards are quite simply writings
which were indisputably prepared by the accused when he had no reason to think
that they would be used for a handwriting comparison. They are, therefore, inherently
devoid of any attempt to disguise. The disadvantage to non-request standards is that
it may be difficult to find samples that fit the criteria of repeating the format and
context of the questioned writing.
In a relatively simple straightforward case, especially one that involves signatures,
adequate standards should not be a problem. Sources of non-request standards could
include eye-witnessed writings, admitted writings and signatures, normal course of
business records, and legal documents, such as:
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 Affidavits, automobile Repair Estimates 2.Request Standards
 Bank Signature Cards  Requested standards are those in which the
subject is asked to write specific material,
 Bills of Sale
usually through dictation. These standards will
 Checks be used for the express purpose of comparison.
 Credit Applications  These are signatures or other handwritings (or
hand printings) written by an individual upon
 Diaries request for the purpose of comparison with other
 Educational and Vocational Materials handwriting or for specimen purposes.

 Employment Applications
3. Post Litem Motam Exemplars- writings
 Insurance Applications produced by the subject after evidential writings
have come into dispute and solely for the purpose of
 Letters establishing his contentions.
 Receipts
 Signed Fingerprint Cards - These are known
(genuine) handwriting of an individual such as
signature and endorsement and canceled
checks, legal papers letters, commercial, official,
public and private document and other
handwriting such as letters, memoranda, etc.
written in the course of daily life, both business
and socials.
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Basic Points that Should be Considered in Obtaining Standards
1. Procured or Collected Standard
a. Amount of standard writing available
 There is no fixed rule as to the definite number of standards that may be considered
adequate or sufficient.
 Experience shows, however, that at least seven standards usually constitute a
sufficient amount, but effort should not be made merely to comply with this minimum
requirement, but as must as possible, more should be procured. As a rule, ten is
better than seven, fifteen is better than ten, twenty is better than fifteen. More
standards provide a wider field for selection of the more appropriate standards.
b. Similarity of Subject Matter
As a rule, like things must be compared
 A signature cannot be compared with extended writing, neither a cursive writing with
a block (hand-lettered or hand-printed) writing, or an extended or conventional (lay
hand) writing with block writing. Therefore, a signature should be compared with a
signature, extended writing with an extended writing.
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a. Relative Date of the Questioned Signature or Writing with the Standards
 The standard must be those or affixed on documents with date contemporaneous with, or close to the date of the
questioned signature. The best standards are those made on dates, which comes during a period before,about, and
after the date of the questioned signature.
 In some cases, where the standards do not show radical changes or variations in a few years, writings made before or
after the date of the questioned signature, may prove appropriate as standards.
a. Conditions Under which known Writing or Signature is Prepared
 Serious illness, intoxication, haste, lack of care, or unnatural writing positions as resting the paper on knee or
magazine or back held with the other hand while riding on a moving vehicle may introduce variations in writing which
may render such writing not appropriate or unsuited standard for comparison with more carefully written material.
 Writing made under such unusual or unnatural conditions should not be solely the basis of comparative examination of
a writing made or done in a normal condition or position.
 The main difficulty encountered in comparative examination of questioned writing under unusual condition is that there
are no available standards written under similar conditions.
a. Kinds of Instrument and Paper Used
The kind of writing instrument and paper used might influence or affect writing.
 Pencil writing, for example may not entirely show the characteristics of a fountain pen or ball pen writing.
 As a rule, some of the standards at least should be those which were written with the same instrument as that in the
questioned document, and as far as possible, the paper used in the standard should be of the same size, shape,
ruling and composition as the one in the questioned document.
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2. Requested Standard
The following steps are aimed at minimizing if not eliminating, disguise in the writing of the subject or
person being required to furnish his handwriting specimen:
a. Questioned Material Must be Dictated
 The ideal exemplar session is one in which the examiner dictates the questioned material and the writer
never sees the disputed writing. This dictation should be accomplished without punctuation, capitalization, or
spelling direction. Such error in these areas may become vital cogs in the identification process.
a. Dictated Text Must be Carefully Selected
 It is not a good practice to dictate the contents of the questioned document. Therefore, a substitute text to be
devised may be a composition or paragraph which contains all of the alphabetical letters and other writing
characters and which contains most of the words in the questioned document.
a. Adequate Amount of Writing Must be Included
b. Some Portions of Dictation Must be repeated at Least Three Times
 Writings should be made on three different sheets of paper, each sheet being removed from the writer’s view
upon conclusion.
a. Writing Instrument and Paper used should be Similar to those Used in the Questioned document.
b. Dictation should be interrupted at Intervals so that the Suspect will feel Relaxed and will write his Own
Natural Writing. Rest between Dictations Usually Makes a Writer Forget About his Previous Writing.
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CARE, PRESERVATION AND HANDLING OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EVIDENCE

 Disputed should not be cut, torn in any manner mutilated in the slightest degree.
 Documents should not be touched with neither an eraser nor any kind, nor with pen,
pencil, nor sharp instrument of any character.
 Documents should not be folded in any new place.
 Documents should not be folded unfolded unnecessarily.
 Except by special permission, no chemical is should applied to papers in any manner
that will injure deface them, and test of this kind should be made only by those
properly qualified to make them.
 Never point closely at letters or any parts or it with a pencil.
 Sharp pointed dividers or measuring instruments should not be put a questioned
writing except with the greatest case and only by those skilled in the used of
instruments, and a direct tracing should not be made of it by anyone at any time.