Handwriting Analysis Expert Witnesses

Richard T. Picciochi is a Questioned Document Examiner with over thirty five years of experience in the New York City Police Department Crime Laboratory and in private practice. He is retired from the NYPD Forensic Investigation Division where he was a Detective, Document Examiner and the Technical Supervisor of the Questioned Document Unit. In the course of his career he has examined thousands of disputed signature, handwriting and document cases, participated in numerous high profile investigations and testified in trials including the "Zodiac" homicides and the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. Mr. Picciochi possesses a background that integrates the academic sciences, applied forensic sciences and law enforcement investigations. He has earned a Master of Science degree in Forensic Science and has received extensive specialized training in questioned document analysis by the NYPD, the FBI and the United States Secret Service. Mr. Picciochi is a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners (ABFDE) and was awarded certification upon completion of comprehensive written, practical and oral examinations. He is also a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the International Association for Identification. Mr. Picciochi specializes in the examination of signatures, handwriting and other document problems. He can provide on-site inspections, comprehensive written reports, demonstrative exhibits and expert testimony. Mr. Picciochi will accept civil, criminal and administrative cases and offers his services to both Plaintiff and Defense attorneys.

Colorado Office: 1550 Larimer Street, Suite 251 Denver, CO 80202 T: 303/330-8636 F: 303-265-9087

Texas Office: 3021 Ridge Road, Suite A130 Rockwall, TX 75032 T: 214/458-6009 F: 303-265-9087

Wendy Carlson, Forensic Document Examiner and Handwriting Expert, Court qualified in Federal, state and local courts in 16 states, Canada and the Bahamas. Regularly retained by government agencies including Dept of the Army, Dept of the Air Force, Public Defenders and Prosecutors, Police Departments, City and County Election Divisions, Private Investigators and Associations.

Ms. Carlson has examined hundreds of signatures, handwritings and case documents, and rendered opinions on cases in at least 46 states and more than a dozen foreign countries. She has also examined documents and rendered opinions in cases written in Arabic, Chinese, English, Korean and Spanish writing.

Specific Areas of Training:

Handwriting Identification and Discrimination

Signature Comparison

Techniques for Distinguishing Forged Signatures

Disguised Handwriting

Altered Numbers

Anonymous Writing

Factors that Affect Writing

K. Gus Dimitrelos is a retired US Secret Service agent and part of the first group of agents to be certified as a computer forensics expert in 1996. While in the Secret Service he was in charge of their cyber crimes program and was a lead technical security agent for Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush.

Gus is currently the President of Cyber Forensics 360 and contracts with the US Department of Justice as a testifying expert in classified, criminal and civil crimes. Gus is a Certified Ethical Hacker and Cyber Expert and has successfully testified in more than 50 cases and performed over 2000 forensics examinations.

Gus is a course developer and forensic instructor for the US Department of State and US Military CounterDrug Training academy and his cyber investigations have been featured in Wired magazine, Esquire International, Discovery channel, 60 minutes, and Fox News for investigations involving Hollywood celebrities, classified data leaks, and terrorism.

Dr. Laurie Hoeltzel, PhDc, a Forensic Document Examiner, has studied handwriting examination and apprenticed under some of the leading court-qualified Forensic Document Experts in the United States. She spent 11 years serving her country in the United States Air Force, including three tours of duty in Iraq, while obtaining a Bachelors degree and Document Examination Certificates.

Litigation Support - Dr. Hoeltzel has reviewed numerous signatures and handwritings, examined case documents, and rendered an opinion on cases in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington D.C., and Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is court qualified and attorney recommended. With over 20 years of experience, she is available for depositions and court testimony when necessary, Dr. Hoeltzel offers her expertise to counsel for both plaintiff and defendant NATIONWIDE!

Areas of Specific Training:

• Handwriting Identification
• Signature Comparison
• Distinguishing Forged Signatures Techniques
• Disguised Handwriting
• Altered Numbers
• Anonymous Writing
• Factors that Affect Writing

Disputed Documents or Signatures Analysis on: Wills, checks, contracts, deeds, account ledgers, mortgages, loans, notary disputes, and medical records.

Investigation and Analysis for: Questioned signatures, suspect documents, forgeries, identity theft, robo-signing, anonymous letters, bond authentication, alterations, obliterations, erasures, typewritten documents, altered medical records, graffiti, handwritten numbers, suicide notes, and computerized and handwritten documents.

Colorado Office Telephone: 720-724-8077 Website: www.denverhandwritingexpert.com

Texas Office Telephone: 832-827-3052 Website: www.houstonhandwritingexpert.com

East Florida Office Telephone: 954-745-0752 Website: www.floridahandwritingexpert.com

West Florida Office Telephone: 727-213-5722 Website: www.floridahandwritingexpert.com

Curt Baggett is the #1 handwriting expert in the USA. He is the only expert in the USA who has examined documents and/or testified in every state of the USA and over a dozen foreign countries.

A court-qualified Document Examiner Expert Witness, he is also a skilled authority in handwriting identification and has completed over 5,000 cases. Mr. Baggett has examined documents and/or testified in court cases as a handwriting expert in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, Ireland, Mexico, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Thailand and New Zealand, Korea, China, Australia and Denmark.

Mr. Baggett was a consultant as a forensic document examiner for a number one television show, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”, and has appeared as a handwriting expert on WOLF-BLITZER-CNN; CHARLES GIBSON-ABC, INSIDE EDITION, CBS, CNBC, FOX, JUDGE ALEX, TEXAS JUSTICE and GOOD MORNING TEXAS. Mr. Baggett is the co-author of “The Handwriting Certification Home Study Course” and  "How to Spot a Forgery". He has been a guest on various other television and radio programs discussing handwriting and forensic document examination.

Mr. Baggett once held the position as Dean of the School of Forensic Document Examination at Handwriting University. In addition to lecturing and teaching document examination, Mr. Baggett has analyzed handwriting for over 30 years. He has been qualified as an expert witness in Justice of the Peace, Municipal, District, State, U.S. District, and Federal Bankruptcy Courts. Curt Baggett’s library is extensive and includes literature on questioned document examination, forensic handwriting analysis, behavior profiling, and statement analysis.

Katherine Mainolfi Koppenhaver, a Board Certified Document Examiner, has been a document examiner for the past 28 years and has testified in court and deposition over 400 times. She has an international clientele. Her book, "Attorney's Guide to Document Examination," was published by Greenwood Press in 2002. Humana Press has recently released her latest book, Forensic Document Examination, Principles and Practice.

She has a large support staff enabling her to handle cases in a timely manner.

Contact Forensic Document Examiners for:

Examination of Questioned Documents

List of 101 Places to Look for Handwriting Specimens

Request Writing Forms and Instructions

List of Publications

Fee Agreement Contract

Fee Schedule

References

California Main Office: 793A East Foothill Blvd., #200 San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

Global Forensic Services, LLC (GFS) is a Forensic Consulting, Laboratory and Investigative Firm offering over 37 years of experience and training in a wide range of forensic science and private investigation disciplines.

Larry Stewart has personally examined tens of thousands of individual items of evidence from sources such as state, local, and federal agencies (e.g. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Central Intelligence Agency, and others), and foreign governments. On several occasions he has examined cases involving international disputes between governments. 

Mr. Stewart has testified as an Expert Witness in state, federal and military courts of law, as well as in foreign court systems to include; Austria, Australia, Canada, Germany, Sri Lanka and Thailand. He has also testified at The Hague in the Netherlands and three times as an expert before the U.S. Congress. 

Areas of Expertise Include:

Questioned Documents Crime Scene Evaluation Trace Evidence Ink Analysis Age Determination Authenticity Fraud Investigations Fingerprints

Handwriting Daubert and Cold Case (consultant) Investigations Indented Writing Striations Typewriting Erasures Office Machines Tracing

Gus Lesnevich and Khody Detwiler (Lesnevich & Detwiler) have over 55 years of combined experience specializing in the Examination and Analysis of Signatures, Writings, and Documents. They own and operate one of the most sophisticated private forensic document laboratories in the United States; including the capabilities to perform all aspects of non-destructive forensic document and handwriting examinations.

Litigation Support - Lesnevich & Detwiler are often retained (both nationally and internationally) by law firms, government agencies, insurance companies, banking institutions, fortune 500 corporations and other private entities to handle any issue involving the authenticity of documents, writings and signatures in both criminal and civil matters (i.e. wills and other testamentary documents, medical records, insurance policy forms, deeds, mortgages, banking transaction documents, contracts, anonymous/threatening letters and much more).

Lesnevich & Detwiler are court qualified in state, federal and international jurisdictions and have earned a stellar reputation for producing highly-effective court illustrations in support of our findings when providing expert witness testimony. They are committed to bringing the highest level of expertise to all of their clients in every aspect of their case, from beginning to end.

In addition to the services mentioned above, Lesnevich & Detwiler also offers extensive litigation and investigative support in the form of confidential consultation regarding the Forensic Document Examination discipline as a whole; including assistance with evaluating and interpreting the credentials and opinions of other practitioners within their field. They pride themselves on providing their clients with the tools necessary to not only use their services, but to understand them as well. They practice on the belief that education is not only essential in any expert retention, it is the absolute cornerstone to a successful outcome!

Areas of Expertise:

Evidence Handling Procedures Expert Witness and Legal Proceedings Photography and Digital Imaging Electronic Signature Analysis Examination Procedures Handwriting, Hand Printing, Signature Examinations Alterations, Obliterations, Erasures Examinations

Printing Processes ID and Examination Photocopiers / Facsimile Examinations Mechanical Impression Examinations Typewriter Examinations Non-Destructive Ink Analysis Non-Destructive Paper Analysis Non-Destructive Indentation Analysis

Mr. V C Misra is a leading Forensic Handwriting, Finger Print and Document Examiner with over 21 years of experience. He has solved and given opinion on thousands of cases in India, UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany, Italy, France, Russia, South Africa and UAE.

Mr. Misra's Expertise Includes:

• Examination of Handwriting, Signatures, Fraudulent Additions and Alterations
• Approximate Age of Documents
• Photo Static and Scanned Transplantations of Signatures
• Traced, Freehand and Impersonation Forgeries
• Denial of Normal or Disguised (Changed) Signatures
• Anonymous Letters
• Body Writings on Account Opening Forms
• Denial of Withdrawal of Money
• Development of Latent Finger or Palm Prints from the Cheques
• Bank Documents by Ninhydrin (Chemical) Method Used for Impression Sweat on Paper
• Opinions on Folds
• Sequence of Strokes and Distinction Between Inks
• Insertion of Typed or Printed Matter
• Fake Currency Notes
• Credit Card Forgeries
• Identification of Computer Typed Documents
• Fake Seals and Rubber Stamps

Mr. Misra's Expert Opinion is Available in the Following Languages: English; French; German; Russian; Spanish; Hindi; Gujarati; Urdu; Marathi; Regional Languages of India or Abroad.

Clients Include:

Air Force Police Bank of Tokyo Bechtel (India) Bennett & Coleman Birla Soft C.R.P.F. Delhi Police Delhi University Duncan Industries Electrolux I.C.I. Fertilizer IIT New Delhi & Kanpur

Industries & MNC's J & K Bank JNU New Delhi L.I.C. Main Detective Agencies Private Parties Punjab National Bank Skanska Standard Chartered Bank State Bank of India U.P. Financial Corporation U.P. Police

Mike Wakshull is a civil and criminal court-qualified document examiner who partners with legal clients to dissect the evidence presented in handwritten and computer-generated questioned documents. His valid approach produces winning arguments during the trial.

Wakshull applies his scientific training to examine questioned documents which is a court requirement. He uses generally accepted practices such as ASTM standards. His laboratory is well-equipped and he has built a large forensic reference library.

Wakshull is skilled at creating and explaining complex exhibits in easy-to-understand language and pictures. His courtroom approach is to teach and engage the trial participants—opposing attorney, judge and jury.

Mike Wakshull holds a graduate school certificate in Forensic Document Examination. Since the 1980s, Mr. Wakshull has worked and studied in the science and discipline of Document Examination and Handwriting Analysis. He is one of only a handful of forensic document examiners with graduate school training in the science of forensic document examination. His opinion is always based on sound fundamentals of evidence. Mr. Wakshull has spoken at International and local conferences and seminars and also holds professional certifications that bring unique skills to your case.

As a Certified Quality Engineer, Mr. Wakshull studied the science of variability and applied this to the analysis of handwriting and documents. As a Certified Information Systems Auditor, he applies his knowledge of information systems and technology to the analysis of documents.



Q9 Consulting, Inc. Has both an extensive research library and laboratory. Q9 Consulting, Inc. serves Southern California counties of Riverside, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, and surrounding regions. Work is accepted from all other locations.

Areas of Expertise:

Contracts Wills (Printed and Holographic) Deeds Affidavits Employment Agreements Checks Insurance Claims Social Security Cards Anonymous Letters Crime Scene Writing

Notarized Writing Photographs Threatening Letters Graffiti Altered Documents Handwritten Notes Computer Generated Pages Medical Records Loan documents Robo signed documents

View Mike Wakshull's Consulting Profile.

Ronald N. Morris, CDE is a Certified Document Examiner and the President and Founder of Ronald. N. Morris and Associates, Inc. (RNM&AI). He has over 40 years of experience working with such entities as the United States Treasury Department, Office of the Examiner of Questioned Documents; the Washington, DC Police Department, Questioned Document Laboratory; and the United States Secret Service, Forensic Services Division, Questioned Document Branch.

A Fellow in the Questioned Document Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Mr. Morris specializes in Handwriting and Hand Printing Identification and other document examinations, such as interlineations and alteration, fabrication techniques, page insertions, nondestructive ink differentiation using the Foster+Freeman® VSC4c video spectral comparator, and indentation analysis using a Foster+Freeman® ESDA system, etc.

Litigation Support - Ronald Morris has testified approximately 275 times as an expert in handwriting and hand printing identification and related document cases in federal, state, local courts, courts in the District of Columbia, and military courts martial. His testimony experience includes testimony in criminal, civil, and juvenile courts. His services are available to attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense.

Areas of Expertise:

• Handwriting Identification
• Document Examination
• Document Alterations
• Indentations, ESDA Analysis
• Ink and Paper Differentiation (No Destructive Testing)

View Ronald Morris' Consulting Profile.

Sylvia Kessler is an effective and skilled Certified Forensic Document Examiner as well as a Handwriting Expert with over 25 years of experience. 

Background Experience - Ms. Kessler completed her training with Dr. Marie Cassil in 1976 and has been active as a Handwriting Expert and Forensic Document Examiner since 1980. Since that time, she has studied and become Certified by the Scientific Association of Forensic Experts, SAFE, as a Forensic Document Examiner. Ms. Kessler has also been Certified as a Neuro Linguistic Practitioner since 1986. 

Litigation Support - Sylvia Kessler has conducted hundreds of examinations and generated numerous reports concerning questioned handwriting and signatures. She has worked with attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense in the design of deposition questions that focus on outcome-specific results. Her services include preparing accurate Personality Profiles and/or identifying and preparing expert witness testimony for trial. Ms. Kessler has qualified as a Handwriting Expert and Forensic Document Examiner in Nebraska and Iowa courts, giving testimony in Douglas, Sarpy, Cass, Sanders, Montgomery and Pottawattamie Counties. She has been accepted in State and Federal courts to give expert testimony in cases regarding the authenticity of documents and/or signatures. Since 2010, Ms. Kessler has reviewed 140 cases which produced 9 trials, 3 depositions. 1 arbitration, and 1 hearing. 

Selected Case Studies:

Wills Checks Voter registrations Insurance Forms Financial Documents Mortgage Documents

Banking Forms / Disputes Retail Contracts Cut and Paste Documents Deeds of Trust Threatening Letters Anonymous Letters

View Sylvia Kessler's Consulting Profile.

Robert Radley's practice is the longest established private independent laboratory in Great Britain dealing solely with the Forensic Examination of Handwriting and Documents. Mr. Radley is a trained forensic scientist specialising exclusively in this field. He has written numerous papers and publications in forensic science journals on forensic document examination relating to a variety of aspects of this work and has presented these to scientific meetings both in this country and abroad. He has been on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Forensic Document Examiners.

Since 1971, Mr. Radley has been consulted in over 9,000 cases involving questioned documents with instructions received from all over the world. These generally relate to signature authentication and/or handwriting identification together with other areas of document examination which are dealt with on a routine basis, including non-destructive instrumental analysis of inks, paper, alterations, erasures, typewriting, printing, indented and electrostatic writing impressions in documents (ESDA), photocopy examinations, dating queries and determination of sequences of writings. He has trained as a Single Joint Expert and regularly deals with such cases. His laboratory is extensively equipped with the necessary instrumentation for the forensic examination of documents.

Mr. Radley has given evidence on several hundred occasions as an expert witness in the courts throughout the UK and also courts in Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malta, The Hague, The Republic of Ireland, Jersey, Cyprus, Germany, Switzerland, Kenya and Gibraltar.