tely
established to be written or printed by the person in question.
Customarily, they are taken in the presence of the document examiner so
the examiner can swear to their authenticity.

Using these visual aids, the document examiner pointed out the
similarities existing in the way the letters were formed--making her
case that the documents in question, the 'suspect' SmurFFs, had indeed
been written by Trenchant.

Clearly, her presentation was well done and the panel was most
engrossed and fascinated by the process she delineated.

The panel was eager to question her further. Like most professionals,
they were deeply interested in a discipline they knew very little about.

"Is handwriting analysis reliable?" Anuse knew what her answer would
be and wanted to pin this down first, but the question backfired on him.

"Yes," she answered confidently.

The panel hassled her for specifics. These were researchers who were
consistently challenged to prove or disprove their own theories and
then defend them. Statistics were their life.

"How have you measured your success rate, what percent of the time have
you been right?" They questioned.

"In other words, have the courts accepted my qualifications?"

"No, not qualifications--evaluations. How many times are you right and
how many times are you wrong?"

"It isn't looked at that way. The judge or jury look at the whole
case, not just your presentation."

"I understand that the courts allow your testimony. I want to know the
percentage of error in your analysis," asked Jane Astori, leaning
forward.

"None."

"None? Has this ever been calculated?" demanded Esther Rondell.

"No. But there is research going on."

Jane and Esther looked at each other in blank astonishment and then
back at the document examiner, disdain and disbelief fighting each
other for expression on their faces.

Attempting to save the situation, Anuse asked if the courts accepted
handwriting analysis to be as accurate as fingerprints.

Her answer dripped confidence. "Yes."

Janet sensed that the women on the panel were not about to let this
polite exchange continue. The very forces at work over the eons that
compelled women to defer to men, rewarded them for fearlessly attacking
other women. The confident, assertive demeanor manifested by the
analyst would not have been questioned coming from a man, but they
would not let a woman get away with it.

She knew from countless de