Articles by Bart Baggett.
Articles by Bart Baggett.
The JonBenét Ramsey ransom note—two and a half pages found in the Ramsey home—remains one of the most examined but inconclusive documents in American crime. Nearly 30 years later, no one has identified its author.
Joseph Cosey forged letters by Abraham Lincoln and others for decades. Some of his forgeries still circulate in collections today, now openly labeled as his work.
Mark Hofmann’s forged Mormon documents fooled collectors, the church, and even federal investigators—until document examiners uncovered the truth. This case ended in tragedy and changed how experts approach questioned documents.
In 1983, sixty volumes of supposed Hitler diaries fooled historians and publishers—until forensic testing revealed modern paper and ink. The case is a lesson in why originals matter.
Sherwood Morrill, California's lead document examiner, compared the Zodiac letters to the main suspect's writing—and ruled him out. Sometimes, exclusion is the answer that matters most.
In 1971, Clifford Irving convinced a major publisher that he had Howard Hughes’s authorized autobiography—using forged documents. Here’s how the deception unfolded, and why even respected experts can be misled without genuine writing to compare.
Aretha Franklin’s handwritten will was found in her couch. The jury didn’t question the handwriting, but what if they had? Here’s how document examiners approach cases like this.
? Most handwriting cases happen quietly. A lawyer calls. An investigator asks a question. A document needs to be examined. This one was different. I was asked to analyze handwritten notes connected to Jeffrey Epstein, which led to an appearance…
Why I Love Jury Trials I love jury trials. And if you are an attorney, you should, too. I just testified in front of a jury at the downtown courthouse. It was actually a blast. I love jury trials. I…
If you’re an attorney or a client who needs to hire a forensic handwriting expert for your legal case, you may be searching online, and you may be thinking, “Wow, this is really confusing. I don’t know who’s qualified and…