History of Handwriting Analysis

Handwriting analysis is incredibly important in identifying forgeries. Checks and other important documents that require signatures can easily be forged, but forensic handwriting analysts can judge their authenticity and therefore prevent criminals from getting away with their misdeed.

Handwriting analysis, sometimes called graphology, was first proposed in the 19th and 20th centuries by Abbe Jean Michon, Alfred Binet, and Milton Bunker. However, graphology has more to do with the relation of handwriting styles to psychology and the personality of the writer than actual forensic examination.

Forensic handwriting analysis wasn't actually used or introduced in criminal investigations until the beginning of the 20th century. Most notably, the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's baby in the 1930s marked the beginning of handwriting analysis in forensic investigations.

In 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court case Daubert v. Merell Dow Pharmaceuticals, while unrelated to handwriting analysis, set the precedent for evidence being submitted in court. The case established that expert testimony must be relevant and draw on generally accepted scientific method.