IEA Section 73 — Comparison of signature, writing or seal with others admitted or proved

Summary

To check if a signature, writing, or seal belongs to the person who claims to have made it, the court can compare it with another example of that person’s signature, writing, or seal that has already been accepted or proven in court. This comparison is allowed even if the accepted example was not originally meant to be used as proof for this purpose. The court can also ask anyone present in court to write specific words or numbers so the court can compare that writing with something that person is alleged to have written. The same rules apply to fingerprints, with any necessary adjustments.

Official Text

In order to ascertain whether a signature, writing, or seal is that of the person by whom it purports to have been written or made, any signature, writing, or seal admitted or proved to the satisfaction of the Court to have been written or made by that person may be compared with the one which is to be proved, although that signature, writing, or seal has not been produced or proved for any other purpose.
The Court may direct any person present in court to write any words or figures for the purpose of enabling the Court to compare the words or figures so written with any words or figures alleged to have been written by such person.
This section applies also, with any necessary modifications, to finger-impressions.

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• BSA §72 — Comparison of signature, writing or seal with others admitted or proved