QUESTIONED DOCUMENT

EXAMINATION
PREPARED BY: SHARRA MEI R. MAHINAY, RCRIM, CCS
The Role and Nature of Questioned Document in Police
Work:

The document examiner has a dual objective. First,

to discover the facts and second, to prove the facts. The
document examiner who would truly serve the ends of
justice must go to the witness stand fully prepared to
support this conclusion with testimony that is factual,
clearly understandable & persuasive. Expert testimony
should be measured by its ability to convince.
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.
 Document is questioned because its origins, its
contents, or the circumstance and story regarding its
production arouse suspicion as to its genuineness or it
may adversely scrutinized simple because it displeases
someone.

Document is said to be questioned when it is

disputed or attacked, either in whole or in part as to its
date or age, as to its source or origin, as to the material
used in their production, and as to its relation in some
other document.
Classes of Questioned Documents:

1. Documents with questioned signatures.

2. Documents containing alleged fraudulent alterations.
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.
8. Genuine documents erroneously or fraudulently
altered or disputed.
Document:
Any material containing marks, symbols, or signs
either visible, partially visible that may present or
ultimately convey a meaning to someone. May be in the
form of pencil, ink writing, typewriting, or printing on
paper.
 In the case of People vs. Moreno, CA, 338 O.G. 119,
a document is any written instrument by which a right is
established or an obligation is extinguished.

In the case of People vs. Nillosquin, CA, 48 O.G.

4453, a document is every deed or instrument executed
by person by which some disposition or agreement is
proved, evidenced or set forth.
Kinds of Documents:
Under the Philippine Law, the following are the four
kinds of documents:

1. Public Document – any instrument notarized by a

notary public or competent public official with
solemnities required by law. (Cacnio vs. Baens, 5 Phil.
742)
2. Official Document – any instrument issued by the
government or its agents or its officers having the
authority to do so and the offices, which in accordance
with their creation, they are authorized to issue and be
issued in the performance of their duties.
3. Private Document – every deed or instrument
executed by a private person without the intervention of
a notary public or of any person legally authorized, by
which documents, some disposition or agreement is
proved, evidenced or set forth.
4. Commercial Document – any instrument executed in
accordance with the Code of Commerce or any
Mercantile Law, containing disposition of commercial
rights or obligations.
Standard Document:

Are condensed and compact set of authentic

specimen which is adequate and proper, should contain
a true correction of the material form a known source.
They are used by the Document Examiner as the basis
for his identification or non-identification of the
questioned document as, for example, for the known
handwriting which serves to establish who wrote the
disputed letter.
Kinds of Standard Documents:

a. Procured or Collected – Those which are obtained

from files of document executed in the persons day to
day business, official, social or personal activities.

b. Requested/Dictated/ Post- litem motam – Those

which are given or made upon the request of an
investigator for purpose of making comparative
examination with the request writing.
Writings which do not constitute documents:
Based on some Supreme Court rulings:

1. A draft of a municipal payroll which is not yet approved

by the proper authority. (People vs. Camacho, 44 Phil. 484)
2. Mere blank forms of official documents, the spaces of
which are not yet filled up. (People vs. Santiago, CA, 48 O.G.
4558)
3. Pamphlets or books which do not evidence any
disposition or agreement are not documents but are mere
merchandise. (People vs. Agnis, 47 Phil. 945)
Subjects Considered in Questioned Document Exam:

1. Handwriting examination

a. examination of signatures and initials

b. examination of anonymous letters
c. hand printing/ cursive examination
2. Typewriting examination
3. Examination of inks
4. Erasures, alterations or obliterations, etc.
5. Counterfeiting
Scientific Method in Questioned Document:

1. Analysis – properties of characteristics observed or

measured.
2. Comparison – properties or characteristics of the
unknown determined thought analysis are now compared
with the familiar or recorded properties of known items.
3. Evaluation – Similarities or dissimilarities in properties or
characteristics will each have a certain value for
identification, determined by its likelihood of occurrence.
The weight or significance of each must therefore be
considered.
The principle of identification requires that when two
items contain a combination of corresponding or similar
and specifically oriented characteristics of such number
and significance as to preclude the possibility of their
occurrence by mere coincidence and there are no
unaccounted for differences. It may be concluded that
they are same in their characteristics attributed to the
same cause.
HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND EXAMINATION
Definition of Terms:

Writing – It is the result of a very complicated series of acts,

being used as whole, combination of certain forms of visible
mental and muscular habits acquired by long, continued
painstaking effort.
Handwriting – It is the visible effect of bodily movement
which is an almost subconscious expression of fixed mental
expression of certain ideas associated with script form.
Natural Handwriting – Any writing executed normally
without any attempt to control or alter its identifying
habits and its usual quality of execution.
Disguised Writing – A writer may deliberately try to alter
his usual writing habits in hope of hiding his identity,
writing skill is poorer, change in slant, size, altered or
capital letters.
Stroke – Series of lines or curves written in a single letter.
One of the lines of an alphabet or series of lines or
curves within a single letter. The path traced by the pen
on the paper.
Terminology Concerning Stroke characteristics:

Arc/Arch – a curve formed inside the top curve of loop,

as in small letters “h”, ‘m”, “n”, “p”.

Baseline – maybe actually on a ruled paper, it might be

imaginary alignment of writing. Is the ruled or imaginary
line upon which the writing rest.
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.

Bowl – a fully rounded oval or circular form on a letter

complete into “O”.
Buckle/Buckle Knot – a loop made as a flourished which
is added to the letters, as in small letter “k’ and “a” or in
capital letters “A”, “K”, “P”. The horizontal end loop stroke
that are often used to complete a letter.

Cacography – a bad writing

Calligraphy – the art of beautiful writing

Descender – opposite of ascender, the lower portion of a
letter.

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.

Habits – any repeated elements or details, which may

serve to individualize writing.
Hesitation – the term applied to the irregular thickening
of ink which is found when writing slows down or stop
while the pen take a stock of the position.

Hiatus/Pen Jump – a gap occurring between continuous

strokes without lifting the pen. Such as occurrence
usually occurs due to speed.
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)

Ligature/Connection – the strokes which connect two stroke

of letter, characterized by connected stroke between letters.
Loop – an oblong curve such as found on the small
letters “f”, “g”, “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.

Majuscule – a capital letter

Minuscule – a small letter.

Movement Impulses – this refer to the continuity of
stroke force writing is usually produce by disconnected
and broken movements more motion or movement
impulses than genuine writing.

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
Patching/Retouching – retouching or going back over a
defective portion of a written stroke. Careful patching is
common defect on forgeries.

Pen Lift – an interruption in a stroke caused by removing

the writing instrument from the paper. Disconnection
between letters and letter combination maybe due to
lack of movement control. Using a ball-point pen may
cause pen lift due to the failure of the ball to rotate.
Pen Position or Pen Hold – Is the relative location of the
pen in relation to the paper surface which can be
determined by the presence of the emphasis or pen
shading.

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.
Retrace/Retracing – any part of a stroke which is super
imposed upon the original stroke. Is the stroke which
goes back over other writing strokes; it is slightly to occur
in others handwriting. Example: vertical strokes of the
letter “d”, “t” while coming downward from the top to
bottom will have a retracing stokes. Any stroke which
goes back over another writing stroke. In natural
handwriting there may be instances in which the pen
doubled back over the course.
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.

Tremor – a writing weakness portrayed by irregular

shaky strokes is described as writing tremor.
Other Terminology Related to Handwriting Examination:
Alignment – is the relation of parts of the whole of writing
or line of individual letters and words to the baseline. It is
the alignment of words. The relative alignment of letters.

Characteristics – is any property or marks which distinguish

and in document examination commonly called to as the
identifying details.
Kinds of Characteristics:

Class characteristics –one which is common to a group

may be described as class characteristics.

Individual or Personal Characteristics – characteristics

which is highly personal or peculiar and it is unlikely to
occur in other instances.
Disguised Writing – a writer may deliberately try to alter
his usual writing habits in hopes of hiding his identity.
The result regardless of their effectiveness is termed
disguised writing.

Examination – it is the act of making a close and critical

study of any material and with questioned document, Is
the process necessary to discover the facts about them.
Various types are undertaken including microscopic,
visual photographic, chemical, ultra violet and infra-red
examination.
Graphometry – analysis by comparisons and
measurement.

Graphology – the art of determining character

disposition and amplitude of a person from the study of
handwriting
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

Microscopic Examination – any study or examination

which is made with the microscope in other to discover
minute details.
Movement – 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.

Natural Writing – any specimen of writing executed

normally without any attempt to control or alter its
identifying habits and its usual quality or execution.
Natural Variation – these are normal or usual deviations
found between repeated specimens of any individual
handwriting.

Opinion – in legal language, the Document Examiner’s

conclusion. Actually in court, he not only expresses an
opinion but demonstrate the reasons for arriving at this
opinion. Though this book, opinion and conclusion are
used synonymously.
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.
Ratio of Writing – it is the relationship between the
heights of the short letters.

Rhythm – is 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.
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.

Skill – in any set there are relative degrees of ability or

skill and a specimen of writing usually contains evidence
of the writer’s proficiency.
Slope/Slant – is the angle or inclination of the axis of the
letters relative to the baseline.

Three Classes:
a. Slant to the left
b. Slant to the right
c. Vertical slant
Speed of Writing –Writing speed cannot be measured
precisely from the finished handwriting but can be
interpose in broad terms of slow, moderate, or rapid.
BASIS OF HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION
Handwriting:
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.
Kinds of Writing Movements:

1. Finger Movement – Is mostly employed in “vertical

writing” and mainly in the formation of printed styles of
writing. Letters are formed by the actions of the thumb,
index and the middle finger. This is the movement
employed by children, or generally by those with whom
writing is an unfamiliar process, it is otherwise called as
the “push and Pull writing”
2. Hand Movement – It involves the action of the hand
as a whole with the fingers playing but a minor role
(mainly in the formation of small letters) and the wrist is
the pivotal of the lateral movement.
3. Forearm (or Muscular) Movement – Writing is
produced by the movement of the hand and arm and
also fingers in some cases. The elbow is the pivotal of the
lateral movement.

Characteristics:

a. Shows the greatest freedom and speed.

b. Smooth clear cut as indicative of rhythm.
4. Whole Arm Movement – It involves the action of the
entire arm without rest and is employed in very large
writing. Ornamental penmanship, blackboard writing,
and by a few writers in making all the capital letters are
some of the writing where this movement is being
employed.
Kinds of Writing:

1. Cursive – connected writing

2. Script – separated writing

3. Block – capitalized writing

Writing Habits:

Writing by all its thousand of peculiarities in

combination is the most personal and individual thing a
man does that leaves a record which he can seen and
studies. This is what constitutes individuality in
handwriting.
Stroke:
A stroke is the path traced by the pen on the paper.
It should be observed whether the course of the strokes
is continuous or broken. The pen stroke is the visual
record of the writing movement.

Qualities of the Strokes:

1. Expansion – whether the movement is extended or
limited in its range with respect to both vertical and
horizontal dimension.
2. Speed – whether the movement has been rapid or
slow and whether the space has been steady or variable.

3. Pressure – whether the pressure exerted in the

movement on its upward and downward reach.
4. Direction – Leftward or rightward trend of they
movement and its upward and downward reach.

5. Rhythm – In the sequence of movements that wave

the total pattern, certain similar phases recur at more or
less regular interval.
Lack of Rhythm:
Characterized by a succession of awkward, independent,
poorly directed and disconnected motions.

Importance of Rhythm:
By studying the rhythm of the succession of strokes, one
can determine if the writer normally and spontaneously
or write with hesitation as if he is attempting to for
another signature.
Letter Connections:

Determine the essential expression of the writing

pattern. It is a mean indicator of the neuro-muscular
function. Words are formed by the connection of letters
to one another.

Even letters are formed by the joining of the

upward and downward strokes. These types of
connections are:
1. Arcade – a rounded stroke shaped like an arch. It is a
slow mode of connection resulting from controlled
movements.
2. Angular Connective Form – where the downward
strokes and upward strokes meet directly, angular
connection are formed. These types of connection
impose a check on the continuity of movement
characterized by an abrupt stop and start each turning
point.
3. The Threadlike Connective Form – the joining of
downward and upward strokes is slurred to a threadlike
tracing or where rounded turns used at both top and
bottom produce a double curve. These forms appear
both in the shaping of letters within the word.
STANDARDS OR EXEMPLARS

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 problems.
Suggested Procedure for Taking Request Handwriting
Standards in all Types of Questioned Document Problems:

1. Have the subject seated in a natural position at table or

desk having smooth writing surface.

2. Furnish subject with paper and writing instrument similar

to those used in questioned writings, like: paper should be
same size, and ruled or unruled; as questioned document: if
questioned document is in written furnish subject with pen
and ink, etc.
3. Never permit subject to see any writing on
questioned document.

4. Dictate material to be written (or printed, if

questioned material is hand printed): give no assistance
in spelling or arrangement on page. Dictate at a rate of
speed which will produce the subject natural writing
habits. Too slow dictation will enable subject to attempt
disguise, too rapid dictation will produce normal writing.
5. Remove each specimen upon completion by subject
number in consequence, date, time and identify by
initiating each, and request subjects to sign each
specimen.

6. Observe all writing done by subjects and indicate any

attempt at disguise, as well as whether subjects appears
to be normally right or left handed, etc.
1. Signature of the careless or highly unreliable writer.
2. Receipt signature.
3. Near-illiterate writer.
4. Signatures of physically impaired writer.
a. The intoxicated signature
b. Old age deterioration
c. The sick bed signature
5. Disguised signature or writing
Admissibility of Standard Writing:

Standards used by the document examiner in an

identification problem are of vital importance to him. If
some of the standard writings on which the document
examiner bases his conclusion cannot be introduced,
then the document examiner may not be able to provide
convincing or his testimony may be weakened.
1. Government Document as Standard Writings. –
Signatures of government officials on document treated
as authentic and produced from official archives may be
admitted in evidence as standard of comparison
whether being as issue as to the forgery of the signature
of the same persons on other documents.

2. Ancient Writings. – The courts have admitted writings

on ancient document as standard for comparison.
HOW TO PREPARE AND COLLECT HANDWRITING
STANDARDS

Principal Points to Consider Regarding Collected

Standards:

1. The amount of standard written.

a. Signature - twenty to twenty five
b. Writing - usually five or seven pages of natural writing
2. Similarity of subject matter.

a. Compare conventional copy book form with

conventional copy-book form standard; and compare
highly individualized questioned signature with highly
individualized standards signatures.

b. Extended writing – determine whether the questioned

writing is purely cursive, or script, or block, or
combination of the three or two styles of writing.
3. Relative dates of the questioned and the standards
writing.

- standard signatures or writing must be those written

five years before or five years after the date of the
questioned signature or writing.
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.
5. Writing instrument and paper.

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.
For Requested and Dictated Standards:
1. Material must be dictated to the suspect/s.
2. Carefully select the dictated. Do not dictate the entire
content of the anonymous letter.
3. Adequate amount of writing must be included.
4. Some portion of the dictation should be repeated at
least three times.
5. Writing instrument and paper should be similar to
those used in preparing the questioned document.
6. The dictation should be interrupted at intervals.
7. Normal writing conditions should be arranged.
As much as possible the combination of the collected
and requested standards must be used in the
comparison in order to obtain an adequate and accuracy
of the opinion.
Indication of Disguised Writings:
1. Abnormally large writing.
2. Abnormally small writing.
3. Alteration in slant (usually backhand)
4. Unusual variation in slant within a single unit of
writing (within a single signature)
5. Printed forms instead of cursive forms.
6. Decrease in the usual speed of writing.
7. Unusual widening or restriction of lateral spacing.
Kinds of Disguises:
1. Change of slant – from right to left or vice versa.
2. Change of letter, either from cursive to block style or
vice versa.
3. Change of style from small to big or vice versa.
4. Deteriorating one’s handwriting.
5. Using the wrong hand.
Investigation and Detailed Examination of Signatures:
Forgery – A legal term which involves not only a non-
genuine document. It is used synonymously with
fraudulent signature or spurious document.

Spurious/Simple Forgery – A fraudulent signature in

which there was no apparent attempt at simulation or
imitation.
Traced Forgery – Any fraudulent signature which was
executed by actually following the outline of a genuine
signature with a writing instrument.

Simulated or Freehand Imitation Forgery – A fraudulent

signature which was executed purely by simulation
rather than by tracing the outline of a genuine
signature.
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.

Guided Signature – A signature which is executed while the

writer’s hand or arm is steadied in any way is classified as a
guided or assisted signature. Under the law of most
jurisdictions such as a signature authenticates a legal
document, provided it show that the writer requested
assistance. Guided signatures are most commonly written
during a serious illness or on a deathbed.
Definition of Signature:

A name or a mark that a person puts at the end of

a document to attest that he is its author or that he
ratifies its contents. It is mark but this mark is now
personal. It is a personal combination of strokes in
which it is possible to recognize the writer.
Classes of Signature:

a. Formal or Complete – Class of signature used in

acknowledging important document such as will, checks,
contract and business papers.
b. Informal or Cursory (Initial) – A class of signature for
routine document or made for personal correspondence.
c. Careless Scribble – Used for mail carrier, delivery of
goods, purchase of equipments and an autograph collector.
Suggested Steps in the Examination of Signature:

Signature in documents must be examined

exhaustively and scrutinized in every detail to avoid error in
judgment.

The difference between the layman’s observation and

those with special training in questioned documents
examination lies on gross features in the signatures, while
the letter makes an exhaustive study of the minute details.
Step 1 – Place the questioned and the standard
signatures in the juxta-position or side 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, tapered or vanishing.
Step 5 – Design and structure of the letters – Determine as
to roundness, smoothness, angularity and direction. Each
individual has a different concept of letter design.

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

Step 7 – Connecting strokes, slant, ratio, size, lateral spacing.

Step 8 – Do not rely so much in the similarity or difference of

the capital letters, for these are often changed according to
the notion of the writer.
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. Good line quality
i. Variation
Three Classes of Forged Signature:

1. Simulated Signature – the free hand drawing in

imitation of model signature.

a. Simulated with the model before the forger – he

makes an effort to obtain a reproduction of the model
signature. He works slowly, stroke after stroke.
a.1. Direct technique – forger works directly with ink.

a.2. Indirect technique – forger work first with special

pencil and afterwards covers the pencil strokes with ink.

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
2. Traced Signature – a tracing of a genuine signature
outline.

a. Direct tracing – copy is made by transmitted light.

b. Indirect tracing – forger used a carbon paper and

place document on which he will trace the forged
signatures under the document bearing the model
signature with carbon between the two.
Types of Traced Signatures:

a. Carbon Process – The forger places the document to

be forged on the bottom, inter-leave a piece of carbon
and places on top a document containing the genuine
signature. The forger then traces over the genuine
signature with pencil, pen stylus, or other sharp pointed
instrument.
b. Indention Process - The document containing the
model signature is placed on top of the forged
document. The forger traces with considerable pressure,
over the genuine signature using a pencil, pen stylus, or
similar instrument and creates an indented signature
outline on the document being forged. Later this
depression outline is overwritten using pencil or fountain
pen.
c. Transmitted Light Process – The document to be forged
is place on top of the document containing the genuine
signature. The two documents are superimposed over a
trace a signature outline, with pencil or fountain pen
following the design of the genuine set in bold relief by
the light at the back of it.
3. Simple/ Spurious 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.
WRITING MATERIALS (PAPER) IN QUESTIONED
DOCUMENTS

One of the subjects of inquiry in questioned

documents is the writing material used. The common
(probable) questioned on paper is the AGE, whether the
actual age of the paper corresponds with the alleged
date of preparation of the questioned document.
Paper – sheet of interlaced fibers usually cellulose fibers
from plants, but sometimes from cloth rags or other
fibrous materials. That is formed by pulping the fibers
and causing to felt, or mat, to form a solid surface.

Writing Materials – the evolution of writing materials

culminated in the development of paper. The oldest
written records still surviving are the Sumerian clay
tablets dating back from 4th millennium B.C.
Papyrus – came into use about 3,500 B.C., people of Egypt,
Palestine, Syria, and Southern Europe used the pith (soft
Spongy tissue of the stem) of the sedge (grass like herb)
CYPERUS PAPYRUS to make a writing known as PAPYRUS.

Parchment – writing material made from skin of animals

primarily of sheep, calves or goats – was probably
developed in the Middle East more or less
contemporaneously with papyrus. It came into wide use only
in the 2nd century B.C. in the city of PERGAMUM, ANATOLIA.
Vellum – writing materials from fine skins of young
calves or kids and the term vellum was often used for all
kind of parchment manuscripts, it became the most
important writing material for bookmaking, while
parchment continued for special manuscripts.

Almost every portable surface that would retain the

marks of brush or pen was also used as a writing material
during the early period.
WRITING INSTRUMENT (PEN)

A tool for writing or drawing with a colored fluid,

such as ink. The rise and spread of Christianity increased
the demand for permanent written religious documents.
Pen came from the Latin word “PENNA” meaning feather.
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.

As the size of writing became smaller, both writing tools

and surfaces changed. Vellum or parchment books
replaced the papyrus roll, and the QUILL replaced the
REED PEN.
 In 1884, LEWIS WATERMAN, a New York insurance
agent, patented the first practical FOUNTAIN PEN
containing its own ink reservoir. Waterman invented a
mechanism that fed ink to the pen point by capillary
action, allowing ink to flow evenly while writing.

By the 1920’s the fountain pen was the chief

writing instrument in the west and remained so until the
introduction of the ball point pen after WORLD WAR II.
Reed Pen/ Swamp Pen
It came from especially selected water grasses found in
Egypt, Armenia and along the shores of the Persian Gulf,
were prepared by leaving them under dung heaps for
several months.

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.
The Ball Point Pen

JOHN LOUD, in 1888, patented the first ball point

writing tool. A ball point pen has in its point a small
rotating metal ball that continually inks itself as it turns.

The ball is set into a tiny socket. In the center of the

socket is a hole that feeds ink to the socket from a long
tube (reservoir) inside the pen.
The Examination and Identification of Inks:

The examination of inks often plays an important

part in document examination. In this case the inks to be
examined are not available in liquid form. One kind of
examination centers on the question as to whether the
ink of some writings or of alterations in a police blotter is
identical with the ink found in the possession of the
suspect.
Composition and Characteristics of Inks:
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. It is practically impossible to remove
the last traces of the carbon from the paper without
causing damage to it.
2. Log Wood
Inks These inks which were used extensively about a
century ago, have now because obsolete and are no
longer manufactured. They were made from an aqueous
extract of logwood chips and potassium chromate.
These inks will be found only on old documents.
3. Iron Gallotanate Inks
This ink has been used as writing for over a thousand
years. Formerly it was made of a fermented infusion of
gall nuts to which iron salts were added. The ink was
composed of suspension of the black, almost insoluble
ferric tannate.
4. Stamp Pad Inks
They are made with the acid of substances such as
glycerol, glycol, acetin or benzyl alcohol and water.
Airline dyes are added as coloring matter. For quick
drying stamp pad inks, more volatile organic solvents are
used as acetone, ethanol, etc. As a vehicle, dextrin, gum
Arabic, or tennin is sometimes added. Through the
addition of tannin, the stamp impression becomes water
resistant after drying.
5. Printing Inks
Printing inks often consist of a mixture of colored
pigments, carbon black and a “base” which may consist
of oil, resins, synthetic resins or a mixture of these. It is
possible to remove printing ink from a document by
scrubbing the document with an aqueous solution of a
suitable detergent.
TYPEWRITER/TYPEWRITING EXAMINATION AND
IDENTIFICATION

Typewriter Defined:
A machine that can reproduce printed characters on
papers or that can produce printed letters and figures on
paper.
Classification of Typewriters as to Typeface:

a. Pica Type – the typefaces are spaced ten characters to

the horizontal inch.

b. Elite Type – the typefaces are spaced twelve

characters to the horizontal inch.
Terminologies in Typewriting Examinations:

Alignment Defect – Include character which writes

improperly in the following respects: a twisted letter,
horizontal mal-alignment, vertical mal-alignment and a
character special adjustment to the type block.
Carbon Impression – Any typewriting which is placed on
the paper by action of the typefaces striking through
carbon paper is classed as a carbon impression.
Generally, carbon impression is “Carbon Copies” but
sometimes original typewritings are made directly
through a carbon paper copy.

Character - In connection with typewriting identification

the terms “Character” is used to include either letters,
symbols, numerals or point of punctuation.
Clogged (Dirty) Typefaces – With use the typefaces
becomes filled with lint, dirty and ink, particularly in
enclosed letters such as the o, e, p, and g. In this
condition is allowed to progress without cleaning, there
comes a time when the written impression actually print
with the clogged areas shaded on a solid block.

Defects – The term defect describes any abnormality or

mal-adjustment in a typewriter which is reflected in its
works and which leads to its individualization or
identification.
Horizontal Mal-alignment – An alignment defect in which
the character prints to the right or left of its proper
position.

Mal-alignment – Is synonymous with the term

“Alignment Defects”.

Off its Feet – The condition of a typeface printing heavier

on one side or corner than over the remainder of its
outline.
Permanent Defect – Any identifying characteristics of a
typewriter which cannot be corrected by simply cleaning
the typeface or replacing the ribbon is classed
permanent defect. Actually, this term is not absolutely
accurate since all defects in typewriters undergo
modification and change in time.

Platen – The cylinder which serve as the backing of the

paper and which absorbs the blow from the typeface.
Rebound – A defect in which a character prints a double
impression with the lighter one slightly offset to the right
or left.
Transitory Defects – An identifying typewriter
characteristic which can be eliminated by cleaning.
Typeface – The printing surface of the type block is
known as the typeface, with most modern typewriter
this block is attached at the end of a movable arm or
type bar which propels the typeface against the ribbon
and paper to make the typewriter impression.
Typeface Defects – Any peculiarity of typewriting caused
by actual damage to the typeface metal. These defects
maybe actual breaks in the outline of the letter where
the metal has been chipped away sometimes referred to
as broken type, or they may be distorted outlines of the
letter where the typeface metal has become bent or
smashed, they can only be corrected by replacing the
type block.
Twisted Letter – Each letter and character is designed to
print a certain fixed angle to the baseline, due to wear,
and damage to the type bars and the type block, some
letters become twisted so that they lean to the right or
left of their correct slant.

Vertical Mal-alignment – A character printing above or

below its proper position has the quality of vertical mal-
alignment.
Identification of Typewritten Documents:

As a preliminary step in the identification of

typewriting, it is necessary to establish that the style and
size of the letters and numerals are the same and that both
the letter spacing and the line spacing are the same.

In order to make a further study leading either towards

an identification or nonidentification such instrument as
magnifying lenses, microscopes and various kinds of
measuring devices are used. These instruments make it
possible to study the following:
a. Slant – A study is made of each character to determine
to what extent if any, it leans either to the right or to the
left.
b. Alignment – If a typewriter is in proper alignment each
character should strike in the center of an imaginary
rectangle.
c. Footing – A letter may strike heavier either on the
right, on the left, on the top, or on the bottom.
d. Defects in the Typefaces – These may be brought
about either through mistreatment or as a result of
ordinary wear and tear.
When Questioned Typewriting is Compared With
Known Typewritten Exemplars, 3 General Areas of
Examination are Made:

1. Size and spacing (vertical and horizontal)

2. Type style
3. Unique identifying characteristics – character and
alignment defects
1. It is a connected writing in which one letter is
joined to the next.
a. Script
b. Cursive
c. Block
d. Indented
2. Any fraudulent signature which was executed by
actually following the outline of a genuine signature
with a writing instrument.
a. Traced Forgery
b. Simulated Signature
c. Spurious Signature
d. Carbon Process
3. It is any specimen of writing executed normally
without any attempt to control or alters its identifying
habits and its usual quality of execution.
a. Natural Writing
b. Disguised Writing
c. Cursive writing
d. Signature
4. It refers to the angle of inclination of the axis of
letters relative to the baseline.
a. Size
b. Connecting Stroke
c. Proportion
d. Slope
5. It is the interruption in a stroke caused by
removing the pen from the paper.
a. Hiatus
b. Pen Lift
c. Rhythm
d. Pen Pressure
6. It is the widening of the ink strokes with
increase pressure on the paper surface.
a. Tremor
b. Patching
c. Shading
d. Pen pressure
7. This includes the addition of writing and other
material between lines or paragraphs or the
addition of whole page to a document.
a. Insertion
b. Erasure
c. Obliteration
d. Alteration
8. It is the average force in which the pen makes
contact with the paper or the usual force involve
in writing.
a. Pen emphasis
b. Embellishment
c. Pen Pressure
d. Tremor
9. An element added to complete a letter.
a. Rubric
b. Diacritic
c. Hitch
d. Arch
10. It refers to known handwriting that was written in
the daily course of life.
a. Requested Standard
b. Procured Standard
c. Collected Standard
d. B or C
11. It is used for currency examination.
a. Shadowgraph
b. Magnifying Lens
c. Ultra-Violet Lamp
d. Infra-Red Lamp
12. It refers to the numeral found at the four
corners of the front and back of the note.
a. Value Panel
b. Micro printing
c. Serial Numbers
d. Vignette
13. It is primarily used to decipher writings in a
charred paper.
a. Shadowgraph
b. Infra-Red
c. Ultra-Violet Lamp
d. Xray
14. An examination with the illumination so
controlled that it grazes or strikes the surface of
the document from one side at a very low angle.
a. Microscopic Examination
b. Transmitted Light Examination
c. Oblique Light examination
d. ESDA
15. It is the crime of making, circulating or uttering
false coins and banknotes.
a. Falsification
b. Forgery
c. Counterfeiting
d. Engraving
16. A minute curve which occurs at the end of
terminal strokes.
a. Hook
b. Spur
c. loop
d. Staff
17. It was the first writing tool that has the writing
end slightly frayed like a brush. It is first used in
papyrus writing material.
a. Quill Pen
b. Reed
c. Steel Point Pen
d. Fountain Pen
18. To pass a counterfeited coin means:
a. To import
b. Utter
c. Mutilate
d. Counterfeit
19. He patented the first ball point writing tool.
a. John Loud
b. Lewis Waterman
c. Bryan Donkin
d. St. Aquinas
20. It is a defect of the typewriter in which the
character prints below or above its proper position.
a. Vertical Misalignment
b. Horizontal Misalignment
c. Twisted Letter
d. Permanent Defect
 END OF
LECTURE.