Background and Experience

My name is Clifford Hobden. For the last 30 years I have worked in the NSW court system initially as a police prosecutor and since 1999 as a forensic document expert. I conducted my first committal prosecution of an attempt-murder case in 1989. Since the 1980’s I have been involved with hundreds of prosecutions involving the provision of expert forensic evidence either as an advocate or as an expert witness.

Forensic Documentation Examination Qualifications
Graduate Diploma in Information Management (UNSW)
Diploma in Forensic Investigation (CIT)
Diploma in Forensic Document (CIT)

Experience
I have been accepted as an expert witness in every State of Australia in almost every type of court including the Supreme, District and Coronial jurisdictions. I have been a practicing expert witness for over 20 years. I was the original author of the handwriting and signature curriculum used by all Government experts for training of experts in the establishment of the initial Canberra Institute of Technology Diploma of Forensic Identification (Document Examination).

Professional Affiliations
Australian Society of Forensic Document Examiners (ASFDE) – full member
Fellow of College of Biomedical Scientists (FACBS)

NOTE: both of the above organisations require some degree of peer review criteria for membership but neither confer or provide a qualification as an expert. Beware of experts who claim only professional association with organisations that do not filter applicants for membership. Beware also of claims of association with overseas organisations which may be difficult to verify from Australia. Membership of the ASFDE is a good source of information on assessing the professional standing of forensic document examiners in Australia.

FDI is based in Sydney but provides a service to all States and Territories of Australia.  All examination services are provided on an hourly rate basis that is established before commencement with an emphasis on minimising costs, providing written updates incrementally on progress and ceasing work early where no useful outcome can be reliably predicted.