Can you examine
photocopies?
Yes. While original documents
are always best and should be submitted when available, on many
occasions the issue can be resolved through an examination of
photocopies.
What is your turn-around
time?
We endeavor to turn cases
around as soon as possible. Turn-around time is greatly affected
by the complexity of the case, current case load, court
appearances, etc. An estimated turn-around time can be provided
at the initial consultation.
How long does it take to
conduct a document examination?
The short answer is: it
depends. Small cases are often completed in the amount of time
covered by the retainer. Cases involving a large amount of
handwriting or more complex cases take
longer. An estimate can be provided at the initial consultation.
Do you accept cases by
fax?
No. You may send documents for
examination by mail, an overnight delivery service, such as
FedEx or UPS, by courier, or you may hand-carry the documents
(by appointment only). First class and certified mail are not
recommended for original documents.
Do you also
examine documents for fingerprints?
When fingerprint examinations
are needed, a fingerprint expert is required.
Mr. Robert D. Whritenour,
who is a certified latent print examiner, can conduct
fingerprint examinations in conjunction with the work performed
by Shiver & Nelson.
Who is the
"Nelson" in Shiver & Nelson?
Larry Keith Nelson. Mr.
Nelson is now retired from the active practice of forensic
document examination, although he occasionally consults on
cases.
Do you
authenticate autographs?
Not usually. Most people
who ask for authentication of signatures or handwriting of
famous individuals cannot provide writing samples for
comparison. We do not maintain files of handwriting
samples that are known to be genuine. Known handwriting
samples should be submitted along with the questioned document.
On occasion, Mr. Shiver supervises the production of handwriting
exemplars from individuals.
Can you
testify as an expert in court?
Yes. Mr. Shiver has
qualified and testified as an expert witness in the field of
forensic document examination on numerous occasions in federal,
state, and military courts. It is up to the judge to
determine who will qualify as an expert witness in each case.
No one can guarantee that they will be qualified as an expert on
every occasion; however, Mr. Shiver has never been disqualified
from testifying.