No. The examination of signatures and handwriting, to evaluate issues pertaining to authorship, is an important part of the work of a Forensic Document Examiner (FDE), but it is only part of that work. Most examiners can and will also address questions pertaining to how a document was produced, or things that may have happened to a document in the course of its existence.2

The former entail examinations relating to methods of production such as typewriting, computer-generated documents, rubber stamps, inks, pens, paper, photocopies, staplers, faxes, graphic arts, and commercial printing presses. The latter involve examinations relating to alterations, obliterations, erasures, indented impressions, among other things. 

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. In general, examinations are done to assess questions pertaining to the authenticity, source, content, or age of a document.

Footnotes

  1. Some examiners are not trained in all aspects of forensic document examination so this does depend on the examiner and their training. Some are not qualified to do certain aspects of this work.
  2. Some examiners are not trained in all aspects of forensic document examination so this does depend on the examiner and their training. Some are not qualified to do certain aspects of this work.

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