تسجيل الدخول

تسجيل

SIGNATURES

المؤلف:  Max M. Houck، Jay A. Siegel

المصدر:  Fundamentals of Forensic Science

الجزء والصفحة:  528

2026-08-25

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SIGNATURES

Signatures can present special problems for questioned document examiners. In many cases, a person’s signature does not represent typical handwriting nor does it always contain the same individual characteristics as normal handwriting. A single signature may be the sole handwriting on the entire questioned document, giving rise to problems that the sample may be insufficient for a definite conclusion. Finally, signatures tend to be very sensitive to context. Consider the many situations where one is called upon to furnish a signature. Most people would sign an official docu ment such as a will or property deed carefully, so there would be no doubt about the name. This would be a formal signature. An informal signature would be used in routine correspondence such as personal letters and other documents where you want the reader to recognize the signature but the exact spelling of the name isn’t important. Finally, there is the abbreviated or stylistic signature that would be used in signing checks, credit card receipts, etc. This is also the famous “physician’s signature” on a prescription. It is often highly stylistic and often looks like a scribble with little that would be recognizable as a signature. Because of the sensitivity to context of signatures, there are rules for the collection of exemplars of signatures. The circumstances under which the exemplar is collected should be as similar to the way that the questioned document was written as possible. Therefore, signatures are always collected in context. For example, if the questioned document is a forged check signature, the subject might be asked to fill out 10–20 blank checks for varying amounts and sign them.