Questioned Document Examiner
(Professional Member: Forensic Science Society, UK)
Disputed handwriting and signatures, forgeries, anonymous letters, typescript identification, etc.
1. Equipment
2. Approach to Establish the Authenticity of Disputed Signatures
3. Revelation of evidence hidden beyond the visual spectrum
5. Response to article from South African Department of Justice
6. Articles of the SA Association of the Forensic Document Examiners
Article: Write into the future
RESUME OF EXPERTISE:
BACKGROUND:
Over a period of some fifty years I have made an in-depth study of all aspects of handwriting analysis and identification, and am familiar with the works of internationally recognised authorities on the subject. In February 1981 I passed the entrance examination of the American Association of Handwriting Analysts – for Associate membership.
In 1988 I qualified for professional membership to the World Association of Document Examiners; court qualified in 1990, and in 1991 I qualified for membership of The British Institute of Graphologists. I am a founder member of the South African Association of Forensic Document Examiners (created on 14th March 2008), an active member of the Forensic Science Society of U.K (since 1993), and an active member of the International Association for Identification of the U S A. I served as a member of their Standing Committee on Forensic Laboratory Analysis in 1991.
The Association that was founded in 1915 has a membership in excess of 5000 members worldwide. I subscribe to and receive literature from handwriting and forensic science related associations.
EXPERIENCE:
I have been involved as a document examiner/handwriting expert in some 3000 investigations since 1983, for banks, insurance companies, schools, universities, private investigators, and for the legal profession. Among others, I have been called upon to express expert opinion concerning document related matters, for Spoornet/Transnet, for The Ombudsman for Banking Services, for Trade Unions including NUM, NUMSA, POPCRU, PAWUSA and SATAWU; the Institute of Chartered Accountants (SA), for the South African Revenue Services and for the Office of the Presidency of RSA.
I have appeared as an expert witness in Magistrate’s, Industrial, and High Courts in the Republic of South Africa, in Swaziland, Botswana, Zambia and in the other neighbouring territories. I have been called as an expert witness at arbitration, at disciplinary hearings, and before the Law Society of Natal. Over the years I have, on occasion, been asked to express an opinion and to present expert testimony, regarding type-script, postmarks and rubber-stamp marks.
QUALIFICATIONS: In view of my background and experience I am capable of expressing a worthwhile opinion as to whether handwriting (including signatures) is or is not that of a specific person, and also regarding the integrity of documents generally
ARTICLES IN JOURNALS: My article "Write into the future" was included in the November/December 2004 edition of The Journal of Forensic Identification; i.e. the journal of the International Association for Identification of USA, and in the July 2004 edition of IA Adviser - the journal of The Institute of Internal Auditors of South Africa. My article "Conflicting evidence of handwriting experts" appeared in the June 2005 edition of "De Rebus" - the journal of the Law Society of South Africa. An abridged version of a judgement given by the late Justice Harold L Berman was included in the August 1995 edition of the S.A. Law Journal. It appears as "A Trimestrial Potpourri" entitled "The Curious Case of the Sheiks". It includes my involvement .