Questioned Documents

Questioned documents are documents whose authenticity, origin, or authorship is in doubt. They often require a scientific examination to determine if any altered, disguised, or forged handwriting appears on the document. Questioned documents are a critical form of evidence in criminal investigations, civil litigation, estate planning and immigration law. Forensic document examiners use a variety of specialized techniques to analyze handwriting, typewriting, signatures, bindings, and other aspects of the document to determine its authenticity or to provide a scientific opinion as to its origin. These techniques can include microscopic examination, infrared imaging, spectroscopy, and chemical analysis. Questioned documents are also used in residence and immigration applications to confirm the validity of passports, birth certificates, visas, and other documents.