ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 January 2005
Page Count: 8

On the “General Acceptance” of Handwriting Identification Principles
VanderHaar, H
Arizona State University, AZ

Saks, MJ
Arizona State University, AZ

(Received 16 November 2003; accepted 21 August 2004)

Abstract

Informed by the admissibility requirements of the broad and narrow Frye tests as well as Daubert's general acceptance factor, the present study elicited the views of a homogeneous group of forensic document examiners and a heterogeneous group of handwriting scientists regarding the degree to which a set of principles relating to the nature of handwriting and its identification were generally accepted within the respondents' fields. Among forensic document examiners, the greatest agreement was found concerning the process of examination, and somewhat less agreement on other matters. Forensic document examiners and handwriting scientists appear not to agree on the acceptability of most of the propositions.

Keywords:
forensic sciences, admissibility, Daubert, document examination, Frye test, general acceptance, handwriting identification, Kumho Tire

Paper ID: JFS2003387
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2003387
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