Attend this seminar to earn credits to renew your SAFE membership for 2024 and renew your CFDE certification.

Speaker: Mr. Reed Hayes

Reed Hayes operates a handwriting and document examination business in Honolulu, Hawaii. He has studied handwriting for over four decades and has worked internationally as a handwriting examiner, including acting as a consultant for the book and video production of The Diary of Jack the Ripper as well as the book Alexander Cartwright: The Life Behind the Baseball Legend. He has also examined and rendered opinions on the Barack Obama birth certificate and the questioned will of Queen Lili’uokalani, Hawaii’s last reigning monarch.

Reed is a graduate of the Andrew Bradley Training Course in Forensic Document Examination (beginning and advanced) and holds certification from the National Association of Document Examiners with re-certifications in 2005, 2011, 2016 and 2021, as well as a certificate of training from the American Institute of Applied Science. He is currently a board member of the Scientific Association of Forensic Examiners. Reed is the author and co-author of several handwriting-related articles and books, including Forensic Handwriting Examination: A Definitive Guide (2006). He currently teaches a distance course in forensic document examination and has mentored students from around the world. Reed’s website is http://www.reedwrite.com.

Topic: Lessons Learned

Abstract

Every questioned handwriting or document case is a potential learning experience, particularly when the examiner renders testimony at deposition, hearing or trial. Testimony often leads to new insights and considerations pertaining to our work and the ways in which we conduct our business. Questions posed during cross-examination frequently give pause for thought and are often re-considered after the fact so similar questions can be answered better in future testimony. Reed will share experiences and lessons he has learned over the past 30+ years as a forensic handwriting examiner. He will also provide some suggestions for better forensic practices.