Forensic Document Examiners to the Rescue

American courtrooms have long been visited by "expert witnesses", people called upon and often paid to testify regarding topics for which they have "expert" knowledge or information. From accountants to real estate agents to doctors to auto mechanics, individuals with pertinent knowledge and expertise often make critical contributions to civil and criminal cases.

Even more respected are those individuals known as "forensic" experts. These are the individuals who make a career of scientifically evaluating evidence as it pertains to a case. There are "forensic accountants", "forensic pathologists" and "forensic toxicologists", to name just a few. But, no less important is the role of the "Forensic Document Examiner" to both civil and criminal litigation.

Forensic Document Examiners are specialists called upon to evaluate the handwriting and handwriting instruments used to write certain questioned or pertinent documents.

Many types of cases can hinge on the validity of a signature or the identity of the author of a letter, note or scribble. For instance:

Forgery: Most prevalent is the case of forgery, where someone signs or copies someone else's signature onto a document. In so doing, the forger may seek to take money or property from the person whose name they forged, falsely signing their name on checks, credit card bill slips, insurance claims, payroll checks, tax refunds, tax returns, even car and mortgage loans. Forgery can be a big part of identity theft. It can cause the loss of money, assets, property and credit and often do permanent damage to an individual's life. The Forensic Document Examiner can be critical in determining when signatures have been forged, thus releasing the damaged individual from liability for debts and obligations incurred illegally by someone else.