Handwriting Experts & Forensic Document Examinations

Original documents are always preferred. But original documents are not always available. Always try to provide the best quality copy available. Try to scan documents with a high quality, or high definition photo scanner and save the files as a .tiff file format, or at least a .png file. Photo images (jpg or PDF) are not good for forensic analysis because they utilize jpg compression to reduce the file size. This makes it easy to send images, but they lose the quality necessary for good forensic analysis.

A Forensic Document Examiner will usually ask for 20-30 known signatures or writing examples from the person whose signature or writing is in question. This is so we can determine the normal variations in a person’s writing. Since nobody signs their signature exactly the same way twice, we have to establish how much variation in style and letter formation is normal.

This all depends on the circumstances around you case. If the opposing side or Court holds the documents, we may need to come to them. Paper Forensics has a portable laboratory or equipment that we transport to wherever the documents are.

Since we use several science-based methods and equipment, our typical examination takes between 3 to 5 hours. The initial examination is an evidence gathering period. We collect the evidence or data then analyze the information when we return to our office. The analysis and report writing takes approximately two weeks to complete. We write a very detailed report of our findings.