2. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

3. Document Analysis

4. Handwriting Comparisons
Handwriting is an individual characteristic
First place to look is at the general style
Children practice by copying a standard form
Two methods taught to school children

5. General Style
Young children may have very similar writing because of this copying from a template
At this point it is a conscious process
Over time it becomes subconscious and habitual
Shapes and patterns emerge creating individuality

6. Variations in General Style
Angularity
Slope
Speed
Pressure
Letter spacing
Word spacing
Relative dimensions of letters
Connections
Pen movements
Writing skill
Finger dexterity

7. Other Individual Characteristics
Arrangement of writing on paper can be as individualistic as the writing itself
Examples
Margins
Spacing
Crowding
Insertions
Alignment
Spelling
Punctuation
Phraseology
Grammer

8. Document Comparisons
Requires a reasonable amount of known samples and questioned documents to make an identification
Difficulty increases:
With fewer words
attempt to disguise handwriting
Usually happens with notes meant to threaten or be obscene

9. Comparison continued…
It is easy to disguise writing with a few words but becomes increasingly difficult with each additional word written.
Drugs and alcohol can alter writing beyond recognition
Age will also have an affect but only over long periods of time

10. Collection of an exemplar
An exemplar is an authentic example used for comparison purposes
Should be as similar as possible to questioned documents
Use same writing implement and paper
Should have some of the same words and combinations of letters
Suspect should not be shown the questioned document
No help with any kind of grammar should be given
Enough samples should be taken to ensure natural subconscious variations will appear in writing