The forensic handwriting examiner can be relied upon as an expert witness to testify about the authenticity of documents. It must always be borne in mind that the FDE should guard against bias. A strong way to avoid bias is to remain true to the science. Conclude based only on what the handwriting reveals and not on the context of the case. This helps the trier of facts to make an informed and fair decision.
According to Mohammed (2019), research has found that the error rate of conclusions drawn by FDE’s is consistently low.
Most of the work done by document examiners in South Africa involves handwriting and printed documents. However distorted perceptions continue to exist about the status of forensic document / handwriting examiners as expert witnesses in South Africa.
If you are a document examiner or need to use one, this article will help you dispel those perceptions.
Part 1 – What is an expert witness in the South African context
Part 2 – When is a forensic handwriting examiner an expert
Part 4 -How does training as a handwriting analyst
Part 5 – What training opportunities are there for the forensic handwriting examiner in South Africa
Part 6 – Continuous Professional Development
Do you require the services of an expert forensic handwriting examiner? Check our list of forensic handwriting examiners in Southern Africa here or contact us here.
For Forensic Handwriting Examination training courses,click here