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Forensic Document Examination Subcommittee
The Forensic Document Examination Subcommittee focuses on standards and guidelines related to the forensic analysis, comparison, and evaluation of documents.
Officers | Members | Standards | Other Work Products
Officers
Mary (Meg) O'Brien, Subcommittee Chair, U.S. Secret Service
Kelsey Osborn, Subcommittee Vice Chair, Osborn & Son
Vacant, Subcommittee Executive Secretary
Members
Brett Bishop, Idaho State Police
Kate Butler, Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Mark Goff, Michigan State Police
Keelie Johnson, Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory
Stephanie Kingsbury, Homeland Security Investigations – Forensic Laboratory
Paul Martin, CRAIC Technologies
Mara Merlino, Tiffin University
Joseph Merydith, California Department of Justice
Jennifer Naso, Riley Welch LaPorte & Associates
Sara Nedley, Federal Bureau of Investigation
John Osborn, Osborn & Son
Carrie Polston, Université de Lausanne (UNIL)
Sarah Pryor, Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory
Standards
On the OSAC Registry
- ANSI/ASB Standard 011-22 Scope of Expertise in Forensic Document Examination, 2022, 1st Ed. (added April 4, 2023)
- ANSI/ASB Standard 035-20 Standard for the Examination of Documents for Alterations, 2020, 1st Ed. (added March 4, 2025)
- ANSI/ASB Standard 044-19 Standard for Examination of Documents for Indentations, 2019, 1st Ed. (added September 5, 2023)
- ANSI/ASB Standard 070-22 Standard for Examination of Handwritten Items, 2022, 1st Ed. (added September 2, 2025)
- ANSI/ASB Standard 127-22 Standard for the Preservation and Examination of Charred Documents, 2022, 1st Ed. (added September 2, 2025)
- ANSI/ASB Standard 128-22 Standard for the Preservation and Examination of Liquid Soaked Documents, 2022, 1st Ed. (added July 2, 2024)
- OSAC 2022-S-0034 Standard for the Expression of Source Opinions in Forensic Document Examination (added July 2, 2024)
- OSAC 2024-S-0017 Standard Guide for Forensic Physical Fit Examination of Documentary Evidence (added October 7, 2025)
Published by a Standards Developing Organization (SDO); [Pending Evaluation & OSAC Acceptance for Registry]
At an SDO for Further Development & Publication
- ASB Best Practice Recommendation 190 Best Practice Recommendation for the Use of Digital Image Capture and File Storage Technology in Forensic Document Examination
- ASB Standard 044 Standard for Examination of Documents for Indentations, 2nd Ed.
- ASB Standard 155 Standard for Minimum Training Requirements for Forensic Document Examiners
- ASB Standard 191 Standard for the Examination of Dry Seals and Dry Seal Impressions
- ASB Standard 197 Standard for the Examination of Digitally Captured Signatures
- ASB Standard 201 Standard for the Examination of Financial, Identification, and Other Authorized Documents
- ASB Standard 237-2x Standard for the Expression of Opinions in Forensic Document Examination
- ASB Standard 238-2x Standard for the Examination of Signatures
- ASB Technical Report 189 Technical Report for the Forensic Reliability of eSignatures for a Determination of Authorship
- OSAC 2022-S-0034 Standard for the Expression of Source Opinions in Forensic Document Examination (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry)
- OSAC 2024-S-0017 Standard Guide for Forensic Physical Fit Examination of Documentary Evidence (OSAC Proposed Standard on the Registry)
Other Work Products
Research & Development Needs
- See the research and development needs identified by the Forensic Document Examination Subcommittee.
Discipline-Specific Bibliographies and Bibliographic References
These documents may contain information to help forensic scientists, judges, lawyers, researchers, and other readers better understand the nature, scope, and foundations of the individual disciplines as currently practiced. The identification of these documents does not represent an endorsement by OSAC or NIST. Only standards that are posted on the OSAC Registry and Technical Guidance documents, are endorsed by OSAC. The referenced documents may be subject to copyright. Note: Subcommittee position statements or responses to data collections by the subcommittee do not necessarily represent the position of OSAC or NIST.
- SWGDOC Standard for Examination of Documents Produced with Liquid Ink Jet Technology
- SWGDOC Standard for Examination of Documents Produced with Toner Technology
- SWGDOC Standard for Examination of Dry Seal Impressions
- SWGDOC Standard for Examination of Fracture Patterns and Paper Fiber Impressions on Single-Strike Film Ribbons and Typed Text
- SWGDOC Standard for Examination of Typewritten Items
- SWGDOC Standard for Minimum Training Requirements for Forensic Document Examiners
- SWGDOC Standard for Non-destructive Examination of Paper
- SWGDOC Standard for Physical Match of Paper Cuts, Tears, and Perforations in Forensic Document Examinations
- SWGDOC Standard for Test Methods for Forensic Writing Ink Comparison
- SWGDOC Standard for Use of Image Capture and Storage Technology in Forensic Document Examination
- SWGDOC Standard for Writing Ink Identification
- SWGDOC Standard Terminology for Expressing Conclusions of Forensic Document Examiners 150114
- SWGDOC Terminology Relating to the Examination of Questioned Documents