Research your document examiner

Do you know the document examiner you plan to retain holds the credentials claimed on their CV? Before you retain a forensic document examiner use social media to research your document examiner. Learn whether the information provided to you is correct.

A good place to start to research your document examiner is by typing their name into Google or another search engine. Using more than one search engine is useful because they do not always find the same results.

The next step is to type the name of the training school the document examiner says they attended for document examination into the search engine. Find out whether the school is legitimate. As an example, there is a document examiner who claims to hold a PhD. The school attended does not appear in a Google search.

Ask the prospective questioned document examiner to describe a case stated on the CV. This is especially true if the claim is a case performed in a state other than their home state. Several years ago the attorney who retained me asked the opposing examiner to describe the case in Pennsylvania. The examiner replied, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” The CV claimed they had worked on a Pennsylvania case.

Ask your prospective document examiner what forensic equipment and reference books they own.