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Posted By: <b>Bill Panagopulos</b><p>First: The "customer satisfaction award". Who issues these things? Do customers spontaneously get together over drinks, and Joey Baggadonuts says: "Hey, those guys at Coach's Corner really satisfy me! Let's give 'em an award!" and everyone agrees and cheers and gets an award printed up? I always wondered about that...<br /><br />I certainly wish I owned an auction house where the authenticator was also my "Public Relations Director" (see article in S.C.D. Mar. 2, 2007), and I had absolutely no obligation to consider anyone else's opinion but his, and if an item he authenticated was disputed I could tell the buyer to go scratch. Hell, I'd have him authenticating EVERYTHING in my catalog! <br /><br />FYI Coach's Corner report per the Better Business Bureau appears below. Of course, I'd bet that the actual number of complaints is much higher.<br /><br />QUOTE<br />Customer Experience<br />Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s).<br />Customer Complaint Data<br />Number of complaints processed by the BBB over the last 36 months: 3<br />Number of complaints processed by the BBB in the last 12 months: 2<br />Complaints Concerned:<br /> Selling Practices (1 complaints)<br />1Company did not respond<br /> Contract Disputes (1 complaints)<br />1Company did not respond<br />The company's size, volume of business and number of transactions may have a bearing on the number of complaints received by the BBB. The complaints filed against a company may not be as important as the type of complaints, and how the company has handled them. The BBB generally does not pass judgement on the validity of complaints filed.<br />UNQUOTE<br /><br />Now, there's been a lot of dispute about what a "forensic document examiner" or "questioned document examiner" is. Here's some info from Wikipedia:<br /><br />Questioned document examination (QDE) is known by many names including forensic document examination, document examination, diplomatics, handwriting examination, and sometimes handwriting analysis, although the latter name is not often used as it may be confused with graphology...The task of forensic document examination is to answer questions about a disputed document using a variety of scientific processes and methods. Many examinations involve a comparison of the questioned document, or components of the document, to a set of known standards. The most common type of examination involves handwriting wherein the examiner tries to address concerns about potential authorship.<br />One task of a forensic document examiner is to determine if a questioned item originated from the same source as the known item(s), then present their opinion in court as an expert witness. Other tasks include determining what has happened to a document, determining when a document was produced, or deciphering information on the document that has been obscured, obliterated or erased...<br /><br />ASTM Standard E444-98 (Standard Description of Scope of Work Relating to Forensic Document Examination) indicates there are four components to the work of a forensic document examiner. It states that an examiner "makes scientific examinations, comparisons, and analyses of documents in order to: (1) establish genuineness or nongenuineness, or to expose forgery, or to reveal alterations, additions or deletions, (2) identify or eliminate persons as the source of handwriting, (3) identify or eliminate the source of typewriting or other impression, marks, or relative evidence, and (4) write reports or give testimony, when needed...<br /><br />There are three possible methods of instruction for an aspiring document examiner:<br />Self-education is the way in which the pioneers of the field began, as there was no other method of instruction.<br /><br />Apprenticeship has become the widespread manner in which many examiners are now taught. In fact, this is the method that is recommended by ASTM in Standard E2388-05. To conform with the ASTM standard such training "shall be the equivalent of a minimum of 24 months full-time training under the supervision of a principal trainer" and "the training program shall be successfully completed in a period not to exceed four years". The training program must also include an extensive list of specific syllabus topics outlined in ASTM Standard E2388-05.<br /><br />College and/or university programs are very limited at this time. This is due, in part, to the relatively limited demand for forensic document examiners. It also relates to the need for extensive practical experience; particularly with respect to handwriting examination. It is difficult to include this degree of practical experience in a normal academic program..<br /><br />A document examiner may be certified by the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, Inc. (ABFDE), which was formed in 1977 with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The ABFDE is one of two bodies accredited and recognized by the Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board, Inc (FSAB) to carry out certification of forensic document examiners. To date, there is no federal licensing involved in the discipline. However, the court has recognized the ABFDE as reputable in the case of U.S. v. Buck, 1987, in denying a motion that claimed that handwriting comparisons were unreliable.<br /><br />An applicant to the ABFDE for certification must meet the following requirements:<br /><br />they must be of good moral character, high integrity and good repute; and possess high ethical and professional standing<br /><br />the program is limited to permanent residents of the USA, Canada and Mexico<br /><br />must possess a bachelor degree (or higher) from an accredited academic institution, or equivalent<br /><br />must successfully have completed a full-time training program of at least 2 years duration in a forensic laboratory recognized by the Board<br /><br />must provide three references from forensic document examiners certified or recognized by the Board<br /><br />must be actively engaged in the full-time practise of forensic document examination and<br /><br />must demonstrate a record of appropriate professional activity in forensic document examination<br /><br />In addition to meeting the basic requirements listed above, an applicant must also pass comprehensive written, practical and oral examinations that explore the wide range of problems encountered in document examination.<br /><br />Certificates issued by the ABFDE are valid for five years, and can be renewed. During that five-year renewal period, the diplomate must earn at least 40 continuing education credits. Credits are awarded for a variety of related activities, such as attendance and participation at ABFDE recognized forensic meeting and programs, and publication of articles in journals recognized by the Board. Individuals holding a valid Certificate of Qualification issued by the ABFDE will use the designation "Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners."<br /><br />ABFDE ensures that the applicant satisfies a number of standardized requirements with regular testing to ensure that the examiner performs at the same high level of professionalism, as do the other people in the trade. More-so than merely denoting the attainment of certain academic and minimum standards, board certification indicates that the examiner cares enough about the profession to spend time and effort to adequately prepare himself or herself to properly serve the public. Courts must assess the credibility of the document examiner as an expert witness and to do this they will often rely upon the examiner’s reputation in the profession together with his or her affiliations with credible professional organizations.<br /><br />BFDE<br />The Board of Forensic Document Examiners (BFDE) also provides certification of forensic document examiners. The BFDE is the other body accredited and recognized by the Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board, Inc (FSAB) in this area.<br /><br /><br />NOW -- If you've managed to plow through all of this, the Wikipedia link is: <br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questioned_document_examination" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Questioned_document_examination</a><br /><br />Who wants to contact them and check the credentials of people laying claim to being forensic/questioned document examiners? <br />Anyone want to see if all those continuing education credit were earned?<br />How about the attendance in a "full-time training program of at least 2 years duration in a forensic laboratory"?<br />And the three references? And the "full time employment" as a forensic document specialist?<br />Anyone want to make a statement about "the examiner's reputation in the profession"?<br /><br />AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FORENSIC SCIENCES:<br />Anne Warren<br />Executive Director<br />(719) 636-1100, extension 214<br />awarren@aafs.org<br /><br /><br /><br />FINALLY:<br /><br />FOURTH REQUEST:<br /><br />Mr. Morales: Your website states, verbatim:<br /><br />QUOTE<br /><br />"An Open Challenge<br /><br />As noted herein, I will meet anyone in a public forum to review and assess my work efforts. Since private communications are often cherry picked to bolster a point of view, at times misdirecting the facts, it is my position that any meetings and communications be conduct in the open. If anyone desires to contact me concerning an open forum, please do not hesitate to call, email or otherwise contact me at anytime".<br /><br />UNQUOTE<br /><br /><br />Mr. Morales, I hereby challenge you to appear, before a group of your peers in the autograph authentication trade and the international press, to:<br /><br />a.) Discuss your "forensic" methods of authentication, and your education and qualifications, using exemplars or otherwise;<br /><br />b.) Describe in detail other criteria you used to authenticate the thousands of various autographs for which you have issued certificates;<br /><br />c.) explain your relationships, if any, with the various consignors, auction houses, galleries, etc. for whom you authenticate, and;<br /><br />d.) assess your work efforts, ie: how have your authentications been received in the autograph market, as a whole.<br /><br />If you wish to limit the discussion to your "work efforts" alone, I would expect your peers would still meet with you, depending on the agenda. <br /><br />I will pay your airfare and hotel room expenses for your attendance at such a forum in the New York area, for a meeting within the next 60 days. As stated above, I expect you would be asked to respond to inquiries from your peers, that is, knowledgeable, recognized dealers of the same material which you have authenticated. Should the location not be convenient for you, I'm sure we can arrange a meeting in Falls Church. Mr. Shelly Jaffe has already graciously agreed to attend, as has Mr. Frank Caiazzo. <br /><br />I assume that this email will reach you, since I do not have your emali address. If anyone posting to this site can confirm delivery to Mr. Morales, I would be much obliged.<br /><br />B. Panagopulos <br /><br />PS Shall I assume that your CONTINUED silence in response to this message means you decline my offer?