What Does a Forensic Document Examiner Do?

Forensic document examiners can identify documents based on handwriting.

Forensic science is the use of science in the field of law. Forensic document examination deals specifically with using document analysis in court cases.

Description

Forensic document examiners look at handwriting, typewriting, types of ink or paper, and other characteristics about documents in order to learn important things about them.

Applications

Forensics can help determine the authenticity of a document and uncover forgeries, e.g., by comparing the handwriting of the person who supposedly wrote a document to the document itself.

Restoration

Document examiners can also restore partially destroyed or illegible documents using technology such as digital enhancement. This can help provide necessary documents for a court case.

Reporting

Forensic document examiners must prepare detailed reports on their findings and testify in court as expert witnesses.

Misconceptions

Forensic document examination, while it deals with handwriting, is not the same as handwriting analysis (graphology). The latter deals with psychoanalyzing people based on details in their handwriting, which document examiners don't do.

References

• Linda L. Mitchell: What Is a Document Examiner?
• American Board of Forensic Document Examiners: FAQ