How Do You Know If a Handwriting Expert is Actually Court-Qualified?
If you’re hiring an expert witness of any type, this is one of the most important questions you can ask. Only 1 in 10 of our cases actually goes to court because people tend to settle out of court. Going to court is very expensive. You risk losing, so sometimes people settle for less. But you must be prepared, and that means you’ve got to have an expert who’s court-qualified.
What Court-Qualified Actually Means
I’ve been to court 136 times. In every single one of those cases, the judge reviewed my credentials and qualified me as an expert witness. That’s a 100% batting average, and that’s what you should look for. Ask to see their CV. Find out how many times they’ve testified and been court-qualified—and specifically ask whether any judge has ever found them unqualified.
People hire us not only because we need to write reports, but also because we actually have to be ready and able to testify, and if you hire an expert, especially a really cheap one or a new one, and they’ve never gone to court, there’s a chance maybe they wouldn’t get qualified. By the time you discover your expert can’t get qualified, it’s too late to hire someone else. Now you’re too late. You can’t hire another one.
What to Look for in a CV
Any forensic document expert my age or older will have attended seminars and events. I’ve gone to China; I’ve gone to Poland. I’ve attended Zoom classes. I’ve attended classes at my police station. They’re going to have this history of education because there’s no single place to train and get certified.
Let me give you an example of what a strong CV actually looks like. One of the guys who just partnered up with me in Phoenix spent 22 years on the Arizona Police Force. He is a sheriff. So that’s a great place to get training, and so much credibility because he’s been on the witness stand hundreds of times for police-related cases.
But he has also served as a certified handwriting expert, having attended our school, the International School of Forensic Documentation. So, he’ll have a great career. He runs our Phoenix office. Great guy named Wade Voeltz. And that, of course, is a very credible witness because not only does he have a law enforcement background, but he’s also been court-qualified.
When you sit down to interview a potential expert witness, these are the three questions that matter most. “Are you court-qualified?” “Has any judge ever found you not qualified while you’re sitting in that witness box?” “Are you the kind of person who would go to court?” Those are the right questions.
“Choosing the right expert witness can make or break your case. If you’d like help finding someone who is genuinely court-qualified and right for your situation, reach out to us at handwritingexpertusa.com. We’ll point you in the right direction
Bart Baggett
The Nation’s Leading Forensic Handwriting Expert
CEO of Handwriting Experts Inc.
Forensic Document Examiner • Expert Witness • Legal Consultant
“We solve million dollar forgery cases.”
Telephone: 1-800-980-9030
YouTube: @thehandwritingexpert
LinkedIn: bartbaggett
Facebook: bartbaggett
https://www.instagram.com/forensichandwritingexpert
https://www.tiktok.com/@handwritingexpertsinc
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FAQ
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Q1: What does it mean for a handwriting expert to be court-qualified?
A: Court-qualified means a sitting judge has reviewed the expert’s credentials and formally accepted them as qualified to testify. A strong forensic document examiner should have a consistent, documented record of being qualified in every case they have testified in.
Q2: What three questions should I ask before hiring a handwriting expert witness?
A: Ask: (1) Are you court-qualified? (2) Has any judge ever found you unqualified while seated in the witness box? (3) Are you willing and prepared to testify in court if required? These three questions reveal an expert’s true readiness for litigation.
Q3: What should a forensic handwriting expert’s CV include?
A: A credible CV should show a documented history of continuing education — including seminars, workshops, and certifications from multiple sources. Because there is no single accredited institution for forensic document examination, a strong expert will show diverse, ongoing training over many years.
Q4: Why is it risky to hire a handwriting expert who has never testified in court?
A: If your case proceeds to trial and your expert fails to be qualified by the judge, it is too late to retain a replacement. Selecting a court-qualified expert from the start protects your case and ensures you are not caught unprepared at a critical moment.
