Legal Paternity.
DNA Testing.
When you need DNA proof of paternal relationship for legal reasons.
When you want answers for personal knowledge and peace of mind.
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You need a legal paternity test if you want to use the report for child support and custody. Did you know results for a home paternity test are not court-admissible? For DNA results to be accepted, the court system requires that a specific chain-of-custody process be followed. No one has more experience with legal paternity testing than Truth DNA, so you can trust us to get it right the first time. Some reasons for legal DNA testing include: child support and custody, birth certificate, immigration, adoption, tax forms, inheritance rights and more. The report is posted to your secure online account 1-2 business days once all samples are received at the lab.
Legal paternity testing (also known as chain-of-custody testing) provides results that may be used as proof of relationship for child support, custody, immigration, birth certificate, Social Security, or other legal reason.
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DNA COLLECTION: When you place your order with Truth DNA Diagnostics, a scheduling specialist arranges a DNA-collection appointment near your home or office at a time convenient for you. A legal paternity test requires that all parties have their DNA samples collected at a certified facility such as a hospital, medical office, or health department. We have the largest network of sample-collection sites in the world, and thousands of locations from which to choose.
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CHAIN-OF-CUSTODY HANDLING: Once collected, DNA samples are sent securely in tamper-proof packaging to our accredited laboratory in Fairfield, Ohio, where DNA testing takes place.
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THE TESTING PROCESS: Our laboratory technicians carefully handle and prepare your DNA samples for processing. Every paternity test with cheek-swab samples is run two separate times by independent teams. The results are then reviewed by our in-house team of PhDs and your report is prepared.
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YOUR RESULTS: As soon as the results are verified, immediate and secure online access to the report is available for the decision-maker in the case, and a legal document that is admissible in a court of law is mailed to all tested parties.
Results are completely confidential, and your private genetic information is never shared with or sold to outside parties.
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Who needs to be tested?
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Mother, One Child, One Alleged Father (AF)
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Turnaround Time
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1-2 business days from receipt of all samples
NOTE: 1 business day is express service which carries an additional fee.
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Chain-of-Custody Requirements
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Chain-of-custody requirements must be fulfilled for test results to be defensible in any legal situation. These requirements include the following:
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Samples are collected by a neutral third party, with no interest in the outcome of the results
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The individuals tested are positively identified (i.e., they present a government-issued ID to be photocopied and/or they are photographed)
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A standard DNA Diagnostics Center kit is used
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Each party completes and signs a Client Identification and Consent Form (COC-4002-CA)
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Guardianship of tested minor must be verified at the time of signing the consent
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The kit may not be in the possession of the clients prior to or after being collected
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Non-Chain-of-Custody Requirements
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In a non-chain of custody test, samples are collected by the patients themselves. The results of this test are for personal knowledge only and may not be used for legal purposes.
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An in-home kit is used, and buccal samples may be collected by the patients themselves
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Since the origin of the samples cannot be verified, names are listed on the report in the same way they are labeled on the samples
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A unique barcode is assigned to each kit and appears on the report as a reference for the case
Notes
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The mother’s participation is encouraged because we can identify the DNA she passed along to the child, with the remaining DNA to be contributed by the biological father. The average Combined Paternity Index (CPI) of a trio is 1 million, while the average CPI of a motherless case is only 10,000.
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A trio paternity test provides the strongest case for use in the courts, where the mother’s involvement is preferred and sometimes required.
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When it’s time to go to court, you’ll be ready
Truth DNA Diagnostics performs thousands of accredited legal paternity tests a year accepted by courts worldwide, and our experts are ready to help you, too—it’s fast, secure, and accurate.
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Starting at $499
For more information call 888.995.4DNA
Legal Paternity Testing: How It Works
More about this Test