A Layman’s Guide to Handwriting Analysis

Guide to hand writing analysis discusses methods, techniques, secrets, procedures and reasons why do we have to know and possess enough knowledge on things which regards hand writings that may be false, but presented as true, or otherwise known as forgery. Forgery therefore is the act of determining that something is false or a lie. It logically follows then, that a forger who commits forgery belongs and considered as liar.
Forgery can be classified as crime. In the Philippines, if it involves commercial, official, or public documents, imitating its handwriting or signature has its corresponding sanctions under the provision of law, under Article 171, Section 1 and/or in relation to Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code. The crime is called “falsification’.
Falsification, as stated, of private documents that involves damage to another, treasury or bank note that was forged, documents with historical values can be the object of a forger’s craft, even at lection times, where election returns and ballots are being tampered by politicians and also an entire can be forged for the solely purpose of the heir, these documents can also be a deed of sale or mortgage in the business world. The mentioned instances of falsification could be held liable as criminal acts.
In response, it is a must for everyone to somehow learn how to detect forgery.Forgeries by tracings usually present a close resemblance in general form to the genuine, and are therefore most sure to deceive the unfamiliar or casual observer. It sometimes happens that the original writing from which the tracings were made is discovered, in which case the closely duplicated forms will be positive evidence of forgery. Writing and signatures can be so perfectly imitated that ocular inspection cannot determine which is true and which is false, and that the persons whose signatures are in controversy are quite as unable as anybody to decide that question. Nevertheless, the law permits experts to give their opinions to juries, who often have nothing except those opinions to control their decisions, and who naturally give them in favor of the side which is supported by the greatest number of experts, or by experts of the highest repute.
Handwriting experts have their own method in detecting falsification. The standard of comparison used by the expert must be produced in court. Photographic copies are admissible when accompanied by the originals. When original writings are in evidence and the genuineness thereof disputed, magnified photographic copies of the writing and of admitted genuine writings are admissible in evidence, for comparison by jury or expert when accompanied by competent preliminary proof that the copies are accurate in all respects except as to size and color. The services of the expert are required in a wide range of civil and criminal cases. Where handwriting is questioned on notes, checks, drafts, receipts, wills, deeds, mortgages, bonds, anonymous letters, money orders, registered letter receipts, letters, pension papers, and in smuggling, and in short, on any kind of document where it becomes necessary to establish the identity of the writer, the expert is called in. Life, liberty, honor, and property are frequently balanced on a pen point—a few marks of the pen being the determining feature of many a case.

Since nowadays, because of the cases like falsification, it requires an extraordinary care in every documents we’ll encountering while dealing with public or private transactions regarding property, money, and cash equivalent papers. In the determination of any handwriting there is no actual rule to guide an expert, as each case must be a law unto itself. The time of day that the signature was made and the condition for the moment of an individual have considerable bearing on the case, as has also the writer's general physical condition. Whether he was standing or sitting when the signature was made is a matter of importance. The quality of the paper and the make of the pen also have to be taken into consideration. In the case of forgery, where the forger has employed a finger movement writing with the muscles and apparently without education, there is scarcely any difficulty in arriving at a conclusion. The long flowing hand is easy to detect. When, however, the writing is finical a large mass of material has to be examined before a decision can be reached.
Handwriting cannot be produced exactly the same twice. This was according to the handwriting experts, because signatures has an individuality of its own.The most important step in detecting a forged signature is becoming familiar with the person's actual signature. Because this would determine that something is different compare to the original.

Clues of Forgery: 1. Tremors in the handwriting. 2. Evenness of pen pressure, evident in the uniform heavy strokes made. 3. A lack of direction of the strokes. 4. Line beginning and ending are blunt. 5. Abundance of pen lifts or lifts in improper places. 6. Hesitation or stoppage of pen movement in the most unlikely places. 7. Careful and repeated retouching or repair of poorly made writing. 8. A handwriting or signature that is shrunk in size. 9. A writing or signature that is more legible than the original. 10. A traced signature or handwriting. 11. A signature or writing written over an erasure.
Further explained by the following:
a) It looks like natural writing but not like genuine writing you have on hand.
b) It looks like the real thing except the movement is careful and slow, not flowing and natural.
c) Loops and ovals are not nicely rounded.
d) Loops and ovals, especially decorative flourishes, look too small and restrained.
e) The same pressure is used in up and down strokes. In an easy, rhythmical style down strokes are heavier pressured than up strokes.
f) Starts and ends of strokes are blunt, especially when “period” show in them.
g) Legible letters are retouched just to give them a different shape.
h) Stops will appear in the writing line as the forger pauses to check that the forgery is going correctly.

In present, expert testimonies are being considered, it is assumed laws and procedures generally applicable to all expert witnesses are applied in your use of the document examiner and handwriting expert. Therefore remarks will concentrate specifically on use of this expertise.
Summarized as follows:
1. First consider: do you want the expert to give testimony or do you want a non-testifying, consulting expert? You would protect the consulting expert from the discovery advices. As for the testifying expert, take it for granted that whatever passes between the two of you or between the expert and any other person in the case will be discovered by opposing counsel. Make very clear to the document examiner which of the two roles you want filled. Later the two kinds of experts and how to use each will be discussed in more detail.
2. It is imperative that the document examiner and handwriting expert be contacted as soon as you realize the need or see a potential benefit.

Handwriting analysis could help every individual to look after their personal and important papers. Business people just for example, must have to know when, where, why and to whom will your signs and writings be given. Handwriting experts on the other hand studied very carefully and specifically single move or attachments on the original one to detect if the documents were forged. These instances prove that every individual is in need of basic knowledge about handwriting analysis. And these were discussed accurately in this chapter.

Reaction Paper in Court Testimony

Submitted by: Jay Ryan A. Dizon

Submitted to: Judge Erick Banasan