This is one of the most common questions asked of document examiners.
Many cases hinge on who signed a document.
The records might range from mortgage papers to the credit card receipt signed at a local store, but the question remains the same. The majority of cases handled by document examiners relate to the authenticity of a signature. The way that we sign our name is produced by force of habit. Writing one's names over and over creates a unique signature full of individual characteristics, almost impossible to duplicate except by the owner. Forgers must imitate the rhythmic flow and natural form of the signature, but the writing becomes unnatural and forced when attention is paid to the signature's detail.