Sponsored by the Association of Forensic Document Examiners

The Association of Forensic Document Examiners offers a Board Certification Program that includes written and oral examinations, test case work, and presenting testimony in a mock trial. It is the only certifying program for forensic document examiners that involves legal critics in the evaluating process. Completion of the program provides recognition for the document examiner's technical skills, practical abilities, and professional work.

Prerequisites

Board Certification is open to any forensic document examiner who: has a Baccalaureate degree or higher or completes the AFDE Academic Equivalency Program, has three years of professional experience, can supply an affidavit listing eight or more court testimonies, can provide two letters of recommendation from a list of specified professionals who are familiar with the applicant's abilities and reputation, is of good moral character, and can participate in the English language.

Written Examination

The applicant must pass a written examination that includes questions about obtaining appropriate handwriting exemplars, preservation of document evidence, handwriting and hand printing comparison and examination, disguised writing, guided hand writing, anonymous writing, typewriting comparison, line sequence, methods of ink comparison and analysis, paper and watermark identification, applications and procedures for infrared examinations, latent image development, and other aspects of document examination, legal terminology, court procedures and the limitations of document examination.

Performance Examination

The applicant must complete three document examinations provided by the association, applying standard document examination procedures. He or she must also submit for committee review three personal document examination case files and court exhibits for one case.

The applicant is assigned a document test case which is determined by numerical distribution. The candidate must examine documents, write a report, prepare the case for trial and present expert testimony. The certification board members rate the candidate's work product and opinion for accuracy. The candidate's written report and curriculum vitae are submitted to a panel of experts from the judiciary. The panel completes objective rating forms and critiques the submitted materials. Finally, the applicant presents testimony in a mock trial held before a lay jury. The applicant's presentation and testimony are rated by those participating in the mock trial who complete a questionnaire which uses an objective rating scale.

Professional Paper

The applicant must also submit an acceptable original research paper or technical article on a document examination subject.

Oral Examination

The applicant must pass an oral examination before the Certification Board. The applicant randomly draws test questions that require discussion in any or all of the following areas: case applications, principles and potential results of document examination procedures such as latent image developing, infrared scanning, ultraviolet examination; ink comparison techniques; ethical considerations; and current research in the field.

Ethics

Board certified individuals are bound by the AFDE Code of Ethics and Code of Professional Responsibility.

Maintaining Board Certification

Board Certified professionals earn their certificate by passing the required testing and completing the required submissions.

Maintaining Board Certification

Board certified individuals are required to submit documentation of at least forty hours of continuing education every three years.