Farrell Shiver is a Forensic Document Examiner in private practice in Woodstock, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. His qualifications in the field include:
Certification by the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners
Vice President of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners
Member of the Questioned Documents Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Member of the Southeastern Association of Forensic Document Examiners
Former Chief Document Examiner - U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory
Past Editor, Journal of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners
Graduate of, and former chief instructor for the U.S. Army's two-year resident training program in Forensic Document Examination
Provided expert testimony on more than 100 occasions in trials, hearings and depositions, including U.S. Federal District Court
Experienced in criminal cases and civil cases
Author of numerous papers and articles on the subject of Forensic Document Examination
Retired Special Agent of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command
Background
Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:A: Certified by the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, 1993
BS in Law Enforcement, 1976
MS in Criminal Justice, 1983
Diploma in Forensic Document Examination, granted by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, 1991
Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
A: Current Vice President, Past Treasurer, and Past Director of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners
Member, Questioned Document Section, American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Member, Southeastern Association of Forensic Document Examiners
Committee E30 on Forensic Science and the Questioned Document Subcommittee, ASTM International
Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
A: I am a former training officer for the Questioned Document Section of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory. During that time, I trained four forensic document examiners. I have also given lectures and made presentations to groups of investigators and attorneys on numerous occasions.
Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
A: No.
Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
A: Since beginning private practice following retirement from government service in 1999, I have been retained over 900 times. I examined more than 1100 cases during the time I worked as a forensic document examiner in the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory.
Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
A: Forensic Document Examination. The field of forensic document examination includes the examination of handwriting, hand printing, signatures, typewriting, altered documents, obliterated entries, indented writing, ink and paper examinations, photocopier identification, document dating, rubber stamps, counterfeit documents, and many other types of document examinations.
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
A: I do not keep statistics on this subject. My services are equally available to both plaintiff and defendant.
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
A: I do not keep statistics on this subject. My services are equally available to both plaintiff and defendant.
Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
A: I have been deposed on 31 occasions.
Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
A: My last deposition was on January 23, 2008.
Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
A: Since 1991, I have testified in trials and hearings, not including arbitration hearings, on 93 occasions.
Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
A: Since 1991, I have testified in trials and hearings, including arbitration hearings, on 94 occasions.
Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
A: Approximately 17 years.
Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
A: I provide a wide range of services related to Forensic Document Examination. These services include handwriting comparison and other document examinations, consultation, and preparation of reports and affidavits. I am available to testify as an expert witness regarding my examinations.
Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
A: Please contact me for a current fee schedule.
Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
A: Please contact me for a current fee schedule.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
A: Please contact me for a current fee schedule.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
A: Please contact me for a current fee schedule.
Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
A: Please contact me for a current fee schedule.
