QUESTIONED DOCUMENT EXAMINATION

1. HANDWRITING - It is the result of a very complicated series of facts, being used as

whole, combination of certain forms of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by
long, continued painstaking effort. Some defined handwriting as "visible speech."

ALBERT SHERMAN OSBORN-

Questioned document examiners-

LESSION 3.1 PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFICATION

1) No two writers write exactly alike.
2) 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.
3) A writer cannot exceed his maximum writing ability or skill without serious effort and
training over a period of time.
4) The combination of handwriting characteristics including those derived from form and
writing movements are essential elements of identification.
5) Individuality in handwriting can only be determined through comparison examination
with the standard written or prepared under comparable conditions.
6) Similarity does not mean identity.
7) Complete identity means forgery.
8) Sufficiency of specimen

a) A writing was written by one person when there is a sufficient number of identical
writing habits and identical primary controlling characteristics and in addition, the
absence of divergent characteristics.
b) A writing was not written by one person when there is a sufficient number of divergent
writing characteristics and the absence of identical primary controlling characteristics.

HANDWRITING - It is the result of a very complicated series of facts, being used as whole,
combination of certain forms of visible mental and muscular habits acquired by long,
continued painstaking effort. Some defined handwriting as "visible speech."

Kinds of writings
a. Cursive-connected; writing in which one letter is joined to the next.
b. Script-separated or printed writing.
c. BLOCK-all CAPITAL LETTERS.

LESSON 3.2 BASIS OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION

A. In 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.
B. Environment, education and occupation affect individuals so variously in the formation
of these muscular habits that finally the act of writing becomes an almost automatic
succession of acts stimulated by these habits.
C. The imitation of the style of writing by another person becomes difficult because the
other person cannot by mere will power reproduce himself all the muscular
combination from he habit of the first writer.

Is handwriting/signature identification an "exact science"? In the hand of a qualified

examiner operating under proper conditions, identification by means of
handwriting/signature is certain.

Proper conditions include:

1. sufficient questioned writing
2. sufficient known writing
3. sufficient time
4. use of scientific instruments

LESSON 3.3 VARIATIONS IN HANDWRITING

A more or less definite pattern for each is stored away in the subjective mind but the
hand does not always produce a stereotyped duplicate of that pattern. The hand ordinarily is
not an instrument of precision and therefore we may not expect every habitual manual
operation to be absolutely uniform. The greater this skill in the art of penmanship, the less
the variations there will be in the form of individualize letters as well as in the writing as a
whole.

Causes of variation
1. Function of some external condition ie, influence of the available space.
2. Abnormal conditions such as physical injury, toxic effects, inebriation's, emotion and
deception.
3. Position of letter - all the letters are to be found initially, medially, and finally. The fact
of a different position, especially in combination with another and particular letter, may
modify any of them in some way or another.

Importance of variation

1) Personal variation encountered under normal writing conditions is also a highly

important element of identification. The qualities of personal variation include both its
nature and its extent. It becomes necessary to determine the amount, extent, and exact
quality of the variations.
2) It is improbable that the variety and extent of the variation in handwriting will be
exactly duplicated in two individuals that such a coincidence becomes practically
impossible and this multitude of possible variations when combined is what constitutes
individuality in handwriting.
3) With a group of signatures of a particular writer, certain normal divergence in size,
lateral spacing and proportions actually indicate genuineness. Variation in genuine
writing is ordinarily in superficial parts and in size, proportions, degree of care given to
the act, design, slant, shading, vigor, angularity, roundness and direction of stroke.

LESSON 3.4 DEVELOPMENT OF HANDWRITING OF AN INDIVIDUAL

1. Children learn writing by following the school copy or model.
2. After acquiring some degree of skill the children no longer follow the school model.
3. As speed increases, conscious design and regularity begin to break down.
4. In the course of trial and error, modification are made, simplification and elaborations,
addition and omissions occur.

a) The writing pattern of each child embodies unique combinations of such deviation from
the standard letter forms or school model, and becomes his personal habits.
b) Although thousands learn the same system and that the natural result is identity, but
facts show that it is not because those who were taught the same system or school
copy a class of writers, but such impairs does not by any means produce a slavish
uniformity.
c) Variation begins as soon as writing begins and continues until each writer in the way
that seems best and easiest to him.

SCHOOL COPYBOOK FORM (school model) - refers to the standard of handwriting

instruction taught in particular school. Classes of copybook depend on the standard school
copy adopted by a writer.

A. SYSTEMS of Early American Handwriting

1. Old English round hand - an Italian hand popular in 1840.
2. Modified round hand early edition of the Spencerian, and the Payson, Dunton, and
Scribners copybook - 1840-1860.
3. Spencerian- there is simplification by the omission of extra strokes and flourishes. And a
general tendency toward plainer letters than the preceding system, some of which were
very ornate-1860-1890.
4. Modern Vertical writing 1890-1900
5. The arm movement writing - the manner or method of writing, instead of the form
alone is especially emphasized.

Out of these five divisions of early handwriting, the modern commercial hand
systems developed. This is characterized by free movement. And the forms adopted are best
suited to easy rapid writing. These are the Zaner and Blozer system of arm movement
writing and the Palmer system of American arm movement.
The last great revolution in American handwriting was the adoption of vertical
writing which was in fact a reversion to the old system of slow but legible writing. The
connecting stroke is based on the small circle and is the most distinctive "round hand" ever
deviced. It was very slow compared with writing based on the narrow ellipse like the
Spencerian in which all connections were almost points instead of broad curves. Most
commercial handwritings tend toward straight connecting strokes and narrow connections.

B. SOME MODERN SCHOOL MODEL FORMS

I. Palmer Copybook
II. D'Nealian Copybook
III. British Copybook
IV. French Copybook
V. German Copybook

SIGNIFICANCE OF SCHOOL COPY FORMS or System Characteristics as Basis in the

Identification of Handwriting
1. Similarities of form are not indicative of identity unless they concern unusual form or
what are termed deviations from the normal. Similarities are bound to occur in different
 writings but such similarities exist only in letters which are normal in form, the fact
bears no significance.
2. All differences in form are indicated of non-identity.
3. The likeness in form maybe general and simply indicate the class or genus or the
difference that does not differentiate maybe nearly superficial.
4. In many systems of writing, the date and influences of system of writing have an
important bearing on the question of genuine or of forgery and in other cases, the
presence of European characteristics in handwriting is a vital and controlling fact

D. IMPORTANCE OF THE DESIGN OF THE LETTERS (System of Writing)

1) To the nationality of the writer.
2) To the system learned.
3) To the date when the writing was acquired and
4) To some of the influences that have surrounded the writer.

LESSON 3.5 RECOGNITION OF WRITING CHARACTERISTICS

The following are the writing characteristics commonly involved in the examination of
handwriting:

1. Form-This refers to the shape or design of the individual letters.

2. Slope or Slant- It is an angle or inclination of the axis of letters relative to the baseline.
3. Size- as a writing characteristic is somewhat divergent under varying condition and may
have but little significance when applied to only one example, or to a small quality of
writing like a signature unless the divergence is very pronounced.
4. Proportion – individual characteristics in relative proportion of letters or proportion of a
part of a letter or relative height of one letter to another letter can be found in different
writing. Proportion o.f letters is one of the hidden features of writing.
5. Ratio – the relation between the tall and short letters is referred to as the ratio of the
writing e.g. Height Ratio Height Ratio
6. Connecting Strokes – this refers to the strokes of links that connects a letter with the
one following: in signatures, it is a common practice among many writers to write their
signatures with the initials and connected without lifting the pen. In writing, many
writers habitually drop the connection before certain letters (particularly small letters
within words)
7. Terminal Strokes and Initial Strokes – when a letter, word or name (signature) is
completed in a free, natural writing, the pen is usually raised from paper while in
motion with a ‘flying finish’ (or what is also referred to as ‘vanishing’, ‘tapering’ or
‘flourishing’ terminal strokes) and with many writers, the motion of the pen also slightly
precedes the putting of the pen on the paper at the beginning with ‘flying start’ so that
the strokes at the beginning and end of words gradually diminish or taper to a
‘vanishing point’. e.g. Initial Richard Terminal
8. Pen – Lift – it is an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the pen from the paper.
9. Hiatus – is a gap between strokes due to speed in writing and defective writing
instruments.
10. Lateral Spacing – lateral spacing is considered as a common characteristics when it
conforms to the ordinary copy – book – form.
11. Shading – it is the widening of the ink strokes with increase pressure on the paper
surface.
12. 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.
13. Rhythm – it is the balanced quality of movements of the harmonious recurrence of
stress or impulse.
14. Pen pressure – it is the average force in which the pen makes contact with the paper or
the usual force involved in writing.
15. Tremor – means ‘deviation form uniform strokes due to lack of smoothness perfectly
apparent even without magnification’.
16. Natural Variation – variation is: due to lack of machine – like precision of the human
hand, it is also caused by external factors, such as the writing instrument and the
writing position, influenced by physical and mental condition such as fatigue,
intoxication, illness, nervousness and the age of the writer, due to the quality of the
writing prepared in the course of time, variation in genuine signature appears in
superficial parts and does not apply to the whole process of writing.
17. Rubric or embellishment – this refers to additional unnecessary strokes not necessary
to legibility of letterforms or writing but incorporated in writing for decorative or
ornamental purpose.

TECHNICAL TERMS
1) ALIGNMENT – is the relation of parts of the whole of writing or line of individual letters
in words to the baseline. It is the alignment of words or the relative alignment o letters.
2) ANGULAR FORMS – sharp, straight strokes that are made by stopping the pen and
changing direction before continuing.
3) ARCADE FORMS – forms that look like arches rounded on the top and open at the
bottom.
4) CHARACTERISTICS – any properly or mark which distinguishes and in document
examination commonly called to as the identifying details.
5) COLLATION – side by side comparison; collation as used in this text means the critical
comparison on side by side examination.
6) COMPARISON – the act of setting two or more items side by side to weigh their
identifying qualities; it refers not only a visual but also the mental act in which the
element of one item are related to the counterparts of the other.
7) DISGUISED WRITING – a writer may deliberately try to alter his usual writing habits in
hopes of hiding his identity. The results, regardless of their effectiveness are termed
disguised writing.
8) DOWNSTROKE – the movement of the pen toward the writer.
9) FORM – the writer’s chosen writing style. The way the writing looks, whether it is
copybook, elaborated, simplified or printed.
10) GARLAND FORMS – a cup – like connected form that is open at the top and rounded on
the bottom.
11) GESTALT – the German word that means ‘complete’ or ‘whole’. A good gestalt needs
nothing added or taken away to make it ‘look right’. Also a school of handwriting
analysis that looks at handwriting as a whole picture.
12) GRAPHOANALYSIS – the study of handwriting based on the two fundamental strokes,
the curve and the straight strokes.
13) GRAPHOMETRY – analysis by comparison and measurement.
14) GRAPHOLOGY – the art determining character disposition and amplitude of a person
from the study of handwriting. It also means the scientific study and analysis of
handwriting, especially with reference to forgeries and questioned documents.
15) HANDLETTERING – any disconnected style of writing in which each letter is written
separately; also called hand printing.
16) LETTER SPACE – the amount of space left between letters.
17) LINE DIRECTION – movement of the baseline. May slant up, down, or straight across the
page.
18) LINE QUALITY – the overall character of the ink lines from the beginning to the ending
strokes. There are two classes: Good Line quality and Poor Line quality. The visible
records in the written stroke of the basic movements and manner of holding the writing
instrument is characterized by the term ‘line quality’. It is derived from a combination of
actors including writing skill, speed rhythm, freedom of movements, shading and pen
position.
19) LINE SPACE – the amount of space left between letters.
20) MANUSCRIPT WRITING – a disconnected form of script or semi – script writing. This
type of writing is taught in young children in elementary schools as the first step in
learning to write.
21) MARGINS – the amount of space left around the writing on all four sides.
22) MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION – any study or examination which is made with the
microscope in other to discover minute details.
23) MOVEMENT – it is an important element in handwriting. It embraces all the factors
which are related to the motion of the writing instrument skill, speed freedom,
hesitation, rhythm, emphasis, tremors and the like. The manner in which the writing
instrument is move that is by finger, hand, forearm or whole arm.
24) NATURAL WRITING – any specimen of writing executed normally without any attempt
to control or alter its identifying habits and its usual quality or execution.
25) NATURAL VARIATION – these are normal or usual deviations found between repeated
specimens of any individual writing.
26) PEN EMPHASIS – the act of intermittently forcing the pen against the paper surfaces.
When the pen point has flexibility, this emphasis produces shading, but with more rigid
writing points heavy point emphasis can occur in writing without any evidence of
shading; the act intermittently forcing the pen against the paper with the increase
pressure.
27) PEN HOLD – the place where the writer grasps the barrel of the pen and the angle at
which he holds it.
28) PEN POSITION – relationship between the pen point and the paper.
29) PEN PRESSURE – the average force with which the pen contacts the paper. Pen pressure
as opposed to pen emphasis deals with the usual of average force involved in the
writing rather than the period increases.
30) PRINTSCRIPT – a creative combination of printing and cursive writing.
31) PROPORTION or RATIO – the relation between the tall and the short letter is referred as
to the ratio of writing.
32) QUALITY – a distinct or peculiar character. Also, ‘quality’ is used in describing
handwriting to refer to any identifying factor that is related to the writing movement
itself.
33) RHYTHM – the element of the writing movement which is marked by regular or periodic
recurrences. It may be classed as smooth, intermittent, or jerky in its quality; the
flourishing succession of motion which are recorded in a written record. Periodicity,
alternation of movement.
34) SHADING – is the widening of the ink strokes due to the added pressure on a flexible
pen point or to the use of a stub pen.
35) SIGNIFICANT WRITING HABIT – any characteristics of handwriting that is sufficiently
uncommon and well fixed to serve as a fundamental point in the identification.
36) SIMPLIFICATION – eliminating extra or superfluous strokes from the copybook model.
37) SIZE – may refer to the overall size of the writing or the proportions between zones.
38) SKILL – in any set there are relative degrees or ability or skill and a specimen of
handwriting usually contains evidence of the writer’s proficiency; degree, ability, or skill
of a write proficiency.
39) SLOPE/SLANT – the angle or inclination of the axis of the letters relative to the baseline.
There are three classes: Slant to the left, Slant to the right, and Vertical Slant.
40) SPEED OF WRITING – the personal pace at which the writer’s pen moves across the
paper.
41) SPEED (SPEEDY) WRITING – not everyone writes at the same rate so that consideration
of the speed of writing may be significant identifying element. Writing speed cannot be
measured precisely from the finished handwriting but can be interpreted in broad
terms of slow, moderate, or rapid.
42) SYSTEM (OF WRITING) – the combination of the basic design of letters and the writing
movement as taught in school make up the writing system. Writing though use diverges
from the system, but generally retains from influence of the basic training.
43) TENSION – the degree of force exerted on the pen compared to the degree of
relaxation.
44) THREADY FORM – an indefinite connective form that looks flat and wavy.
45) VARIABILITY – the degree to which the writing varies from the copybook model.
46) VARIATION – the act or process of changing.
47) WORD SPACE – the amount of space left between words.
48) WRITING CONDITION – both the circumstances under which the writing was prepared
and the factors influencing the writer’s ability to write at the time of execution.
49) WRONG – HANDED WRITING – any writing executed with the opposite hand that
normally used; a.k.a. as ‘with the awkward hand’. It is one means of disguise. Thus, the
writing of right – handed person which has been executed with his left hand accounts
for the common terminology for this class of disguise as ‘left – hand writing’.
50) WRITING IMPULSE – the result of the pen touching down on the paper and moving
across the page, until it is raised from the paper.

DESCRIPTION OF LETTERS
1. ARC OR ARCH – any arcade form in the body of the letter.
2. BEARD – rudimentary curved initial strokes.
3. BLUNT ENDING OR BEGINNING – blunt ending and initial strokes are results of the
drawing process in forgery.
4. BUCKLE KNOT – the horizontal and looped strokes that are often used to complete such
letters.
5. CENTRAL PART OF THE BODY – the part of a letter ordinary formed by a small circle that
usually lies on the line of writing.
6. EYE LOOP OR EYELET – the small loop formed by strokes that extend in divergent
direction.
7. FOOT OF THE LETTER OR OVAL – the lower portion of any down stroke which
terminates on the baseline.
8. DIACRITIC – an element added to complete certain letters.
9. HITCH – the introductory backward stroke.
10. HOOK OR TROUGH – the bend, crook curved on the inner side of the bottom loop or
curve of small letter.
11. HUMP – the rounded outside of the bend, crook, or curve in small letters.
12. SPUR – short, horizontal beginning strokes.
13. KNOB – rounded appearance at the beginning or ending strokes.
14. MAIN STROKE or SHANK STEM – downward strokes of any letters.
15. WHIRL – the upward strokes usually on letters that have long loops.
 KINDS OF MOVEMENT IN HANDWRITING
 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

GENERAL CLASSES OF QUESTIONED WRITING

 Forged or simulated - writings in which the attempt is made to discard one's own
writing and assume the exact writing personality of another person.
 Disguised - Those writings that are disguised and in which the writer seeks to hide his
own personality without adapting that of another.

WRITING HABITS
Writing by all its thousand of peculiarities in combination is the most personal and
individuals thing that a man does that leaves a record which can be seen and studies. This is
what constitutes individuality in handwriting.

GENERAL(CLASS) CHARACTERISTICS - These characteristics refer to those habits are part of

basic writing system or which are modifications of the system of writing found among so
large a group of writes that have only slight identification value.

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS - They are characteristics which are the result of the writer's
muscular control, coordination, age, health, and nervous temperament, frequency of
writing, personality and character. They are found in Writing movement, Form and design of
letters, Motor Coordination, Shading, Skill, Alignment, Pen pressure, Connection, Pen hold,
Rhythm, Disconnections or pen lifts between letters, Speed, Slant as a writing habit,
Proportion of letters as an individual characteristic or habit, Quality of stroke or line quality,
Variation and Muscular control or motor control.

TYPES OF HANDWRITING ACCORDING TO MUSCULAR CONTROL

• Loose writing-this is characterized by too much freedom of movement and lack of
regulation. This is noticed especially in tall letters forms.
• Restrained writing - there is lack of freedom and inhibited movements. It gives you the
impression that every stroke was made with great difficulty. This writing is small. There is
distortion of letter forms which may lead to illegibility.

INDICATIONS OF SPEED (SPEEDY) WRITING

• Smooth, unbroken strokes and rounded forms.
• Frequent signs or tendencies to the right.
• Marked uncertainty as to the location of the dots of small letters "I", "j" & crosses of small
letter
• Increased spontaneity of words or small letter "t" connected with the following words.
• Letters curtailed or degenerated almost to illegibility towards the end of words
• Wide writing - width of letters is greater than the connecting spaces adjoining it.
• Great difference in emphasis between upstrokes and down strokes.
• Marked simplification of letters especially capital letters.
• Raising line
• Increased pen pressure
• Increase in the margin to left at the beginning of the line

INDICATIONS OF SLOW WRITING

• Wavering forms and broken strokes.
• Frequent signs or tendencies to the left.
• Conspicuous certainly as to the location of the dots of small letters "I","J","or "t" crosses
with scarcely perceptible deviation from the intended direction.
• Frequent pauses by meaningless blobs, angles, divided letters and retouches.
• Careful execution of detail of letters, toward the end or names.
• Narrow writing.
• No difference in emphasis in upstroke and down stroke
• Ornamental or flourishing connections.
• Sinking lines

EXAMPLES OF COMMON CHARACTERISTICS

• Ordinary copy-book form
• Usual systematic slant
• Ordinary scale of proportion or ratio
• Conventional spacing

CLASSIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Permanent characteristics-found always in his handwriting.
• Common or usual - found in a group of writers who studied the
same system of writing.
• Occasional - found occasionally in his handwriting.
• Rare -special to the writer and perhaps found only in one or two
persons in a group of one hundred individuals.

HOW INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE ACQUIRED

• Outgrowth of definite teaching
• Result of imitation
• Accidental condition or circumstances
• Expression of certain mental and physical traits of the
writer as affected by education, by environment and by
occupation.

EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Hook to the right and hook to the left
• Shape, position, size and angle of "i" dots "t" crossing #
• Idiosyncrasies- behavioural attributes
• Bulbs and distinctive initial and final pen pressure
• Embellishment, added strokes and free movement endings
• Abbreviation of letters
• Simple and compound curves and graceful endings
• Labored movement producing ragged lines
• Terminal shadings and forceful endings
• Presence and influence of foreign writing, with the introduction of Greek "e"
POINTS TO CONSIDER IN EXAMINING EXTENDED WRITING (ANONYMOUS, THREAT,
POISON LETTERS)
• Uniformity-Does the questioned writing have smooth, rhythmic and free-flowing
appearance?
• Irregularities - Does the questioned writing appear awkward, ill-formed slowly drawn
• Size & Proportion-Determine the height of the over-all writing as well as the height of the
individual strokes in proportion to each other.
• Alignment - Are they horizontally aligned, or curving, uphill or downhill.
• Spacing - Determine the general spacing between letters, spacing between words. Width
of the left and right margins, paragraph indentations.
• Degree of Slant-Are they uniform or not.
• Formation and Design of the letters, "t" (-) bars, "i" dots, loops, circle formation.
• Initial, connecting and final strokes.

DIVISION OF QUESTIONED DOCUMENT

Standard of exemplars EXAMINATION
• Standard - They are known writings, which indicate how a person writes. A writer
manifests fixed habits in his writings that identify him. This fact provides the basis for an
opinion of conclusion regarding any writing identification problem.

• Exemplars - Specimen of the writing of suspects are commonly known as exemplars. The
term standards is a general term referring to all authenticated writings of the suspects while
exemplars refers more especially to a specimens of standard writing offered in evidence or
obtained or request for comparison with the questioned writing.

• Sample - A selected representative portion of the whole is known as a sample. In

this text, the term «sample» follows closely the statistical usage

TYPES OF HANDWRITING "STANDARDS"

• Collected Standards - known (genuine) handwriting of an individual such as signature and
endorsements on 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.

• Request Standards - are signature or other handwritings (or hand printings) written by an
individual upon request for the purpose of comparison with other handwriting or for
specimen purposes.

• Post Litem Motam Exemplars - writings produced by the subject after evidential writings
have come into dispute and solely for the purpose of establishing his contention.

FUNDAMENTALS OF SIGNATURE EXAMINATION

DEFINITION OF SIGNATURE
It is the name of a person written by him/her in a document as a sign of
acknowledgement. Or, it is a name or a mark that a person puts at the endof a document to
attest that he/she is its author or that he/she ratifies its contents. Microsoft Encarta
Reference Library has this to say about signature: signed name, signing of name, distinctive
characteristic.
 SIGNIFICANT TERMS
CROSS MARK
Historically, many who could not write signed with a crossmark or crude X. this
authenticating mark still used today by illiterates,and if properly witnessed, it can legally
stand for a signature. Ballot marks are also referred to as cross marks because of the
common practice of marking with an X.

EVIDENTAL SIGNATURE
Is not simply a signature – it is a signature, signed at a particular time and place,
under particular conditions, while the signer was at particular age, in a particular and mental
condition, using particular implements, and with a particular reason and purpose for
recording his name.

FRAUDULENT SIGNATURE
A forge signature. It involves the writing of a name as a signature by someone other
than the person himself, without his permission, often with some degree of imitation.

FREEHAND SIGNATURE.
A fraudulent that was executed purely by simulation rather than by tracing the
outline of a genuine signature.

GUIDED SIGNATURE
A signature that is executed while the writer’s hand or arm is steadied in any way.
Under the law of most jurisdictions such as a signature authenticates a legal document
provided it is shown that the writer requested the assistance. Guided signatures are most
commonly written during serious illness or on a deathbed.

IMITATED SIGNATURE. Synonymous with freehand forgery.

MODEL SIGNATURE. A genuine signature that has been used to prepare an imitated or
traced forgery.

THEORY OF COMPARISON. The act of setting two or more signature in an inverted position
to weigh their identifying significances, which reason being that those we fail to see under
normal comparison may readily be seen under this theory.

THE EXAMINATION OF SIGNATURES IS CONSIDERED A SPECIALIZED BRANCH OF

HANWRITING IDENTIFICATION, FOR THE FOLLOWING
REASONS:
1. A signature is a word most practiced by many people and therefore most fluently written.
2. A signature is a means to identify a person and have a great personal significance.
3. A signature is written with little attention to spelling and some other details.
4. A signature is a word written without conscious thought about the mechanics of its
production and is written automatically.
5. A signature is the only word the illiterate can write with confidence.

TYPES OF SIGNATURES
A. FORMAL (a.k.a. CONVENTIONAL or COPYBOOK FORM) – complete correct signature for an
important document such as will.
B. INFORMAL (CURSORY) – usually for routine documents and personal correspondence.
1. Personalized
2. Semi-personalized

CARELESS SCRIBBLE – for the mail carrier, delivery boy or the autograph collector.

Forgery is, strictly speaking, a legal term which involves not only a nongenuine
document but also and intent to fraud. However, it is also used
synonymously with fraudulent signature or spurious document.

CLASSES OF FORGED SIGNATURES

SIMULATED OR FREEHAND IMITATION FORGERY – executed purely by simulation rather by

tracing the outline of a genuine signature can be referred as freehand imitation or simulated
forgery. Or it refers to the free-hand drawing in imitation of model signature.

1) SIMULATED WITH THE MODEL BEFORE THE FORGER

a. DIRECT TECHNIQUE – forger works directly with ink.
b. INDIRECT – forger works first with the pencil and afterwards covers the pencil
strokes with ink.
2) SIMULATED FREE HAND FORGERY (TECHNIQUE) – used by forgers who have a certain
skills in writing? After some practice, the forger tries to write a copy of the model
quickly.
TRACED FORGERY (TRACED SIGNATURE) –
1. DIRECT TRACING – tracing is made by transmitted light.
2. INDIRECT TRACING – forger uses a carbon paper and place documents on which
he will trace the forges signature under the document bearing the model signature
with a carbon paper between the two.

The types of Traced Signature are:

1. CARBON PROCESS
2. INDENTATION PROCESS
3. TRANSMITTED LIGHT PROCESS

SPURIOUS SIGNATURE (SIMPLE FORGERY) – Forger does not try to copy a model but writes
something resembling what we ordinarily call a signature. For this, he use a false (spurious)
name make a rapid stroke. Disturbing his unusual writing by adopting a camouflage called
disguise.

FORGERY BY MEANS OF A STAMPED FACSIMILE OF A GENUINE OR MODEL

e. FORGERY BY COMPUTER SCANNING

SUGGESTED STEPS IN THE EXAMINATION OF SIGNATURE

STEP 1 – Place the questioned and the standard signatures in the juxtaposition or slide-by
side for simultaneous viewing of the various elements and characteristics.

STEP 2 – The first element to be considered is the handwriting movement or the manner of
execution (slow, deliberate, rapid, etc.). The fundamental difference existing between a
genuine signature and an almost perfect forgery is in the manner of execution.
STEP 3 – Second element to examine is the quality of the line, the presence or tremors,
smooth, fluent or hesitation. Defect in line quality is only appreciated when simultaneous
viewing is made.

STEP 4 – Examine the beginning and ending lines, they are very significant, determine
whether the appearance blunt, club-shaped, tapered or vanishing.

STEP 5 – Design and structure of the letters – Determine as to roundness, smoothness,

angularity, and direction. Each individual has a differentconcept of letter design.

STEP 6 – Look for the presence of retouching or patching.

STEP 7 – Connecting strokes, alnt, ratio, size, lateral spacing.

STEP 8 – Do not rely so much in the similarity or difference of the capital letters, for these
are the often changed according to the whim of the writer.

CHARACTERISTICS PRINCIPLES THAT SUPPLY MOST CASES:

1. Pen pressure
2. Movement
3. Proportion
4. Unusual distortion of the forms of letters
5. Inconspicuous characteristics
6. Repeated characteristics
7. Characteristics written with speed

INDICATIONS OF GENUINENESS
1) Carelessness
2) Spontaneity
3) Alternation of thick and thin strokes
4) Speed
5) Simplification
6) Upright letters are interspersed with slanting letters
7) The upward strokes to a threadlike tracing
8) Rhythm
9) Good line quality
10) Variation

INDICATIONS OF SIMULATED (Direct & Indirect Techniques) and TRACED FORGERIES

1. Tremulous and broken connecting strokes between letters, indicating points at which the
writer has temporarily struck.
2. No rhythm
3. Carefulness or unusual care and deliberation
4. No contrast between upward and downward strokes
5. Slow writing angular writing
6. Blunt beginning and endings
7. Placement of diacritical marks just over the stem of letters
8. Absence of spontaneity - lack of smoothness of letters
9. Restrained writing there is lack of freedom or "inhibited" movements THAT gives the
impression that every stroke is made with great difficulty. This writing is small.
10. No variation
INDICATIONS OF SIMPLE OR SPURIOUS FORGERY

1. Writing habits of the writer (forger) is evident in the forged signature.

INDICATIONS OF FORGERY BY MEANS OF STAMPED FACSIMILE OF A GENUINE SIGNATURE

1. fLat strokes
2. no contrast between upstrokes and down strokes
3. deposit of ink at the junction of two strokes or where two strokes cross each other.
4. no variation-All signature will superimpose over each other.

PROCEDURE IN THE COMMON SIGNATURE PROBLEMS

A. Genuine Signature which the writer refuses to admit not genuine. Generally presence of
tremors, remnants of carbon, retouching (patching) indicates forgery. Produced, the
probability of genuineness.

B. Genuine Signature Deliberately Modified. Examination of this kind of signature is

confidently discover that the modification is only on the prominent features of the letter
designs that are pointed out by the disclaimer, while the rest appear to be normal There are
unnatural tremors and retouching. The minute details in genuine signatures are present