Frequently asked questions

A Forensic Document Examiner uses scientific principles to provide opinions on the authenticity or authorship of signatures and handwriting, involving detailed examination and comparison. This role requires a scientific degree and an apprenticeship of at least two years. In contrast, Graphologists claim to determine physical characteristics and personality traits from handwriting, often through short correspondence courses.

"QD" stands for "questioned document". This term refers to any handwriting, signature, printed material, or mark whose authenticity is in dispute. A QD Examiner, also known as a Forensic Document Examiner, is an expert in examining these questioned documents.

Our experts hold scientific degrees and have completed formal apprenticeships in forensic document examination under the supervision of leading UK experts, with experience in both civil and criminal casework.

Determining the exact date a document was created is generally not possible. However, we can sometimes provide an approximate date using indirect methods like identifying watermarks or specific typefaces. While we cannot determine the age of ink entries, we can refer you to international experts who specialise in such examinations.

No. It is not possible to predict the outcome of a case, even if documents are provided for an initial assessment. Unfortunately there are occasions when it is not possible to determine whether or not a signature is genuine. This could be due to the quality of the documents available, the number of known documents provided, the variation within a signature and the complexity of the signature. In such cases the evidence may be inconclusive.

Turnaround depends on the complexity of the case and the volume of documents. Most cases are completed within 14 - 21 days, and urgent examinations can be prioritised where deadlines are tight.

Yes. We accept instructions from solicitors, barristers and agencies across the UK and beyond. Documents can be submitted digitally or by post when originals are available.

Yes. We provide CPR/CrimPR‑compliant reports and can attend court to give expert evidence when required.

Yes. We accept instructions from defence solicitors, prosecution teams, local authorities and other organisations. Our duty is always to the court.

Costs vary depending on the number of documents and the complexity of the case. We provide fixed‑fee quotations in advance, including Legal Aid‑compliant quotes where required.

Yes. We understand that court deadlines can be tight. Expedited examinations can be arranged depending on availability.

Yes. QD Examiners accepts Legal Aid instructions for handwriting and forensic document examination in criminal defence, family matters and publicly funded cases. We are experienced in working with the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) and provide quotes that align with current LAA hourly rates for forensic document examiners. We understand the requirement for prior authority and aim to provide quotes within 24 hours.

Yes. We provide clear, fixed‑fee quotations suitable for Legal Aid applications, including examination and reporting time along with any travel costs.

We primarily work with solicitors and legal professionals, but we can also provide guidance to individuals who have been advised to seek expert evidence under Legal Aid.

Yes. We provide CPR/CrimPR‑compliant reports and can attend court to give expert evidence when required.

Typically: • The questioned document(s) • Known or specimen signatures/handwriting • Brief case background or instructions • Any deadlines or court dates Digital copies are usually sufficient to provide a quote.

Yes. We understand that publicly funded cases often have tight deadlines. Expedited examinations can be arranged where necessary.

Before submitting a case, we offer an initial assessment to determine if an appropriate examination can be conducted based on the available documents. We will advise on the suitability of your documents and the necessary comparison material. Please note, we do not provide any indication of the examination outcome at this pre-assessment stage.

To submit a case, please refer to our Case Submission (/how-we-work)page. If you are sending original documents for examination, we recommend using Royal Mail Special Delivery to ensure full tracking. Once posted, please provide us with the tracking reference.

All examinations are non-destructive, so your documents will not be altered or damaged whilst in our possession.

Originals are preferred for signature and handwriting examinations, as they allow assessment of pen pressure, line quality and other microscopic features. However, high‑resolution digital copies can be used if originals are not available, albeit the scope of examination will be reduced.

Where it is intended that reports will be used as evidence in court, reports will contain all of the necessary declarations and clauses that ensure compliance with current court submission procedures. For Civil cases, reports will be compliant with Part 35 of the Civil Procedure Rules.

In order to provide a reliable opinion, we always carry out a full examination and assess the significance of the findings based on our experience. All results are provided in a report, with images where considered useful, and the report includes any necessary declarations for use in court. On rare occasions it may be possible to provide a brief summary of the findings, but this must be discussed prior to instructions being agreed.

As experienced document examiners, we believe that our assessments will withstand scrutiny in a court of law. However, to provide even greater surety to clients, appropriate peer review of findings will be conducted as part of the examination. We believe peer-review is an important part of the examination process and ensures that clients have complete confidence in the content of the report that they receive.

Handwriting and signature cases will be reported using a scale of opinions, in line with similar scales used by forensic document examiners in the UK and worldwide. We use the 7-point scale below, ranging between positive, inconclusive and negative opinions. (a) Very strong support for the proposition that the questioned entry was written by the author of the known writing(s), rather than the alternative proposition that another person was responsible. (b) Strong support for the proposition that the questioned entry was written by the author of the known writing(s), rather than the alternative proposition that another person was responsible. (c) Limited support for the proposition that the questioned entry was written by the author of the known writing(s), rather than the alternative proposition that another person was responsible. (d) The evidence is inconclusive; the findings provide approximately equal support for the proposition that the questioned entry was written by the author of the known writing(s) and the alternative proposition that another individual was responsible. This is a neutral opinion regarding the potential writer. (e) Limited support for the proposition that the questioned entry and the known writing(s) were produced by different writers, rather than the alternative proposition that the same person was responsible. (f) Strong support for the proposition that the questioned entry and the known writing(s) were produced by different writers, rather than the alternative proposition that the same person was responsible. (g) Very strong support for the proposition that the questioned entry and the known writing(s) were produced by different writers, rather than the alternative proposition that the same person was responsible. Conclusive opinions in forensic handwriting examinations represent the highest degree of confidence and are rarely scientifically justified, as they require the exclusion of all other propositions. Any such opinion, if made, would be described in the report and would indicate an absolute identification or elimination of a writer. A “No opinion” or “Insufficient” conclusion applies when the available handwriting (or signature) material is too limited (e.g. in amount, complexity, quality, or comparability) to allow for a meaningful comparison; that is, an examination is unlikely to yield anything other than a neutral opinion.