Friday, June 19, 2009

Handwriting Expert Testimony Key to Los Angeles Probate Settlement. Forgery Trend Fuels need for more Court Qualified Forensic Document Examiners

Bart Baggett's expert testimony revealed a forged will in the Estate of Willie McGrue probate case in Los Angeles Superior Court. As long as these forgery trends continue, Forensic Document Examiners are becoming an asset to justice and a thorn in the side of criminals nationwide. Baggett leads the nation in training and mentoring new experts in this growing field.

Los Angeles (Vocus/PRWEB ) June 19, 2009 -- Bart Baggett's expert testimony revealed a forged will in the Estate of Willie McGrue probate case in Los Angeles Superior Court (LASC case number BP-111821). Baggett's testimony was the last evidence needed to prove a contested will of the late Willie McGrue was nothing more than a poorly executed forgery that failed to slip under the radar of the smart and experienced Commissioner Reva Goetz, who handles probate cases daily.

Bart Baggett- Forensic Handwriting Expert
Bart Baggett- Forensic Handwriting Expert

The court actually gave me 2 hours and a desk to study the original will before my testimony. They obviously care about the truth.
As long as these forgery trends continue, Forensic Document Examiners are becoming an asset to justice and a thorn in the side of criminals nationwide. Bart Baggett leads the nation in training and mentoring new experts in this growing field. Pursuing a career in Forensic Document Examination becomes more viable … and rewarding. "The court actually gave me 2 hours and a desk to study the original will before my testimony. They obviously care about the truth." said Baggett of the generosity and special effort made by the Probate Department of the Los Angeles Superior Court staff on June 18th, 2009.

"This case is typical of the crimes my graduates and I see everyday. In most cases which get to trial, at least one person is lying... the job of the forensic document examiner is to allow the evidence to point in the direction of the truth. We interpret the evidence and share it with the court. It is a great career, especially when justice prevails," said Bart Baggett, President and founder of The International School of Forensic Document Examination.

It is believed that Willie McGrue's signature was forged on the 1993 Last Will and Testament that was submitted. Despite presenting the court with a color photocopied "original", the fake will utilized 2008 version legal forms and a notary seal issued in 2006. In other words, part of the 1993 will was actually created on software and documents which did not exist in 1993... and the perpetrators of the crime left the copyright notice on two of the forms. It is even believed the notary of the document purgered herself on the witness stand and is in fear of losing her notary license: "There is no doubt the notary committed perjury on the witness stand today," said Barbara Brunner, a witness in the case and owner of Paralegal Probate Service.

Commissioner Goetz was quick to see the evidence clearly and guided the beneficiaries to find an honest and fair distribution of the estate. There was no valid will, so the estate will be split equally among the children. Howard Lynch, the attorney who successfully contested the fake will said, "Submitting a forged will to the court is serious business. I'm glad justice prevailed today, but criminal charges could be filed in a case like this."

Two years ago Tam Kaiden was a struggling graphic artist. Today the Illinois woman earns at least $1,000 per day to appear and testify in court as an expert witness offering her opinion. Upon completing her training at The International School of Forensic Document Examination, this Forensic Document Examiner has acquired state-of the-art lab equipment, worked 25 real cases aside her mentor, developed a website that began attracting paying clients in its 1st month, and is earning money while still training with the distance learning school.

"I never realized how unique a person’s handwriting is and how it can be the key to solving crimes, mysteries and family quarrels," said Kaiden, owner of HandwritingExpertIllinois.com. "Forensic Document Examination is a fascinating career with so many interesting layers. Clients can come to me with a bunch of seemingly unrelated pieces. Once examination begins, the pieces start to fit together. Soon I’ve created a masterpiece – a puzzle that could not have been solved without my expert analysis. Unlike work I've done before, this work is intrinsically rewarding!"

Until 2003, training for this unique Crime Scene Investigator-type career was only available: 1) in a government crime lab at very low wages, 2) at a private lab where apprentice examiners worked for free, or 3) for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), where employment is nearly impossible to obtain. The International School of Forensic Document Examination recognized this need, becoming the only non-governmental institution that offers a structured 6 module curriculum and certification program in forensic document examination. Graduates have successfully become part of the fabric of the forensic community, testifying in both civil and criminal cases nationwide. The school has helped dozens of work-at-home entrepreneurs find rewarding careers in forensic document examination. The school currently has students in Australia, New Zealand, India, Canada, Taiwan, Slovakia, and the United States.

President and founder of the International School of Forensic Document Examination Bart Baggett sparked interest in handwriting analysis when he was a teenager and even secured an internship with a leading authority in the field while still in high school. Baggett's passion for handwriting brought him to study both sciences relating to handwriting, eventually becoming one of the few experts frequently called up on for commentary on both criminal personality profiling and forensic identification through handwriting.

After graduating from Pepperdine University, Baggett then turned his attention to writing, speaking and building an internationally acclaimed training program for personality profilers Handwriting University International. In 2003, he founded the The International School of Forensic Document Examination which exclusively teaches forensic document examination to students worldwide.

Since 1996 the national media has been calling on Baggett to comment on top news stories involving handwriting such as the BKK killer, Anthrax letters, JonBenet Ramsey and the Zodiac murders, on shows like The Today Show, America's Most Wanted, and CNN's Larry King Live. Baggett began testifying in court during the 1990's and remains a frequent qualified expert witness in courtrooms in California and the Southwest. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

For more information on the International School of Forensic Document Examination, including details and qualifications of the two-year distance-learning and mentoring program, please log onto http://internationalschool.us or call toll free in North American 1.877.297.4846 or at 310.926.1822. Classes start each Spring and Fall.

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