Specimen Handwriting or Signatures (which can be attributed to having been written by a particular individual to the satisfaction of the court) can be of two types; ‘Requested’ and ‘Collected’ specimens. Each of these types has it’s advantages and disadvantages. 

Requested Specimens

These samples are written by an individual at the request of another and are specifically performed for the purpose of forensic comparison. Should you decide to take requested samples use the following procedure as a guide.

1. Do not allow the individual to view the questioned document prior to taking the specimens.
2. Prepare multiple (10 to 20) documents similar in format as the document on which the questioned writing appears. For example if the questioned writing is a signature on a cheque, prepare repetitions of the cheque (removing any account information), by photocopying a cheque you have generated for the exercise.
3. Provide a writing implement similar to that used to form the questioned handwriting or signatures.
4. Have the subject sit comfortably and provide them with the first prepared document. What you ask the subject to write will depend on the form and format of the questioned writing. If the questioned writing is a signature, then you will ask that they sign their name. If the questioned writing is uppercase handwritten text then you will ask them to write in uppercase and dictate to them the exact content (or a portion) of the questioned text. When the subject completes the task, remove the document, sign and date it, and remove it from the subjects view. Continue the process for the remaining repetitions you have prepared.

Requested specimens offer the advantage that the material prepared will be directly comparable to the questioned material (that is the material will contain the same format of document, and the same letters, letter combinations, word forms and sentences). The disadvantage with requested specimens is that they are unlikely to exhibit the same range of natural writing variation (since they were executed at a single point in time), they may be disturbed due to the inordinate attention placed on the writing act, and they do offer the writer the opportunity to disguise or alter their normal writing habits. For these reasons requested specimens should always be supplemented with collected specimens where possible.

Collected Specimens

Collected specimens are handwriting or signatures that are made during the course of an individuals day to day behaviour. These specimens are by far the most effective in terms of forensic comparisons. They are unlikely to be the product of disguise (particularly those collected prior to the time that a questioned sample of handwriting or signature was written) and are likely to exhibit the range of normal variation in an individuals writing behaviour.

When sourcing collected specimens attention should be paid to the format of the writing. In general terms signatures can only be compared to signatures (unless an individual has signed using their normal handwritten text letterforms), uppercase writing can only be compared to uppercase writing, cursive can only be compared to cursive. If the  questioned writing is a combination of these forms then the writing specimens collected need to reflect this combination. 

Appropriate timing of specimen handwriting or signatures

One of the most important elements of the collection process is related to the date associated with the questioned writing and the dates associated with the specimen writings (this is particularly true when dissimilarities are observed between the questioned and specimen writings). Best practice is to ‘time bracket’ the questioned writing. Ideally the collected specimens should be sampled both before and after the date associated with the questioned handwriting or signatures. In addition samples of specimen writings should be sourced from as close to the time associated with the questioned writings as possible.