Forensic Document Examination & Graphonomy

Our Forensic Document Examination & Graphonomy service helps clients confirm the authenticity of handwriting and signatures on a document — from initial examination and document validation, to preparing the examination report and giving expert testimony in court.

We examine handwriting and signatures scientifically (Questioned Document Examination) by comparing them against specimens believed to be genuine, so the findings can stand behind both litigation and non-litigation needs.

The service is led by Hasyim Muhammad, S.T., CMHA, Of Counsel at Triage Investiga and Signature Examination Consultant, who has more than 9 years of experience in forensic analysis of handwriting and signatures for investigations, legal evidence, and document verification.

Graphonomy Services Scope

Our graphonomy services include:

• ✔Authentication Examination: Examining the authenticity of signatures, handwriting, and documents.
• ✔Initial Examination & Document Validation: Initial screening and validation of documents for law enforcement and government agencies.
• ✔Examination Report: A handwriting/signature authentication report delivered as a softcopy (PDF) and a hardcopy.
• ✔Expert Witness in Court: Expert testimony during inquiry, investigation, and court proceedings when required.
• ✔Consultation: Support for law firms, companies, and government agencies in disputes or suspected document forgery.
• ✔In-house Training: Sharpening the ability to spot signs of forgery for tellers, customer service staff, credit analysts, underwriting and claims teams, and auditors.

Main Services

Documents Required

Examination works best with original documents. If that is not possible, it can be carried out using copies/scans as long as the quality is adequate. The documents we need:

• ✔Questioned Handwriting/Signature: The writing or signature whose authenticity is to be examined.
• ✔Comparison Handwriting/Signature: Writing or signatures believed to be genuine. For signatures, at least 7 specimens are required, from a comparable period, namely around 3 years before and after the signature under examination.
• ✔Request Form: The applicant completes the prepared request form.

Document Scanning Guide

To make sure a scan or photo is good enough to examine:

• ✔Use a Scanner: A scanner is preferred, to preserve the quality and position of the document.
• ✔Using a Phone: Make sure the photo is taken straight above the document with sufficient light.
• ✔High Quality: Set the scanner quality to at least 300 dpi; on a phone, use the highest quality setting.

Turnaround & Fees

Turnaround and fees depend on the documents submitted:

• ✔Turnaround: Depends on the number of writings and signatures examined, but is generally 10 working days from the date the documents are complete.
• ✔Fees: Depend on the number of writings or signatures examined and the quality of the documents submitted. Send us your documents for review so we can give you an accurate cost estimate.