Why Legal Paternity
Paternity tests have recently become extremely popular and are used in many different scenarios. In court this often means legally proving the identity of the father of the child for child support, or in other cases it means establishing parental rights to get custody or inheritance. In these cases, the courts ALWAYS require the parties involved to get a legally admissible paternity DNA test.
Why is it Legally Admissible in Court
A legally admissible paternity test is also referred to as “legal”, “legally defensible” and “a chain of custody paternity test”. There are several reasons and factors which make this test the best choice if you are going for a paternity test.
For one thing, it is one of the most secure tests, and that means it is acceptable in most courts and is unlikely to face judicial challenge or rejection. The sample identification and procedure of testing is rigorously documented, and thus test participants rights are protected, and they have legal recourse if there is a lab error. For legal purposes, going through the trouble to get this test done is worth it.
Responsible and Impartial
The test is always performed by third parties who employ certified specimen collectors that are specially trained to maintain the integrity of the DNA specimen. The independent lab has no interest in the results of the test and is completely unbiased, and accurately tracking and documenting the specimen and its donor is its primary concern.
For the most accurate and affordable Paternity Testing, contact Test Smartly Labs!
Information On This Topic
Benefits Of Legal DNA Testing
While the maternal lineage of a child is implicit in most cases, it might not be the case when it comes to paternity which is the lineage of the father.
The Importance of Establishing Legal Paternity
Paternity DNA Tests are commonly used to determine whether an individual is the biological parent of a child. This is done by comparing the DNA of the child with the DNA profile of the alleged father
Understanding the Downside Risks of “At-Home” Non-Legal Paternity Tests
For accurate paternity results you can count on within as little as three business days, turn to Test Smartly Labs for our American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) certified NIPP DNA test. You don’t have to wait until the baby is born, you can get a DNA test while pregnant that is safe for the mother and the pregnancy with results that are court-admissible.
The Importance Of Establishing Legal Paternity
Different methods are used for determining the paternity of the child (or adult). Several critical reasons why the establishment of paternity for the child as well as the parents are important, including one’s self-identity (peace of mind), rights to benefits, medical history, custody, and visitation, support, etc., some of which are discussed here to stress its importance.
Self-identity:
Recent studies suggest that the father-son or father-daughter relationships strongly determine the behavioral changes that occur in the child while growing and the stronger the bond, the better it will be on the psychological wellbeing of the child. Studies suggest that the reassurance of paternity improves the bonding of this relationship in many ways. Children who know their biological fathers are found to be much more likely to develop a better social life than those who have doubts. Establishing paternity can strengthen the bond as well as build confidence in the child by remedying the self-identity crisis and providing peace of mind.
Legal rights:
The legalities of determining the biological father of the child might not only benefit the child but also the mother and the actual or alleged father. In many cases, the child might not be entitled to the rights of inheritance, wealth, property, social security, etc., from their father if the paternity has not been established legally. For mothers, child support can be a huge help in raising a child as a single parent which can only be possible if the biological father of the child is legally proved, in which case, he would be entitled to support the child with expenses once the mother requests the child support. Regardless of the marital status of the father, he would be legally bound to support the child equally. On the other hand, the alleged father of the child by the mother would be free from all financial responsibilities of the child if the paternity is legally established and he is not the biological father. However, there are no implications if a person wants to support a child which is not biologically his. In the case of separated parents, the visitation or custodial rights of the biological father are also determined by the establishment of paternity. All these legal rights are only accessible once the paternity of the child has been established. Therefore, it is legally as well as beneficially important for the parents and the child to determine the biological father of the child.
Medical History:
Once a child knows his/her biological father, they will have access to all the medical history of both parents and thus can predetermine the vulnerabilities and predisposed harms or diseases that it might face in the future as a result of inherited genes. Also, complete medical insurance is only possible if the paternity of the child is established, and thus the medical history of the child and his or her both parents is accessible and known.
Be prepared for your DNA or Paternity Test!
- Bring Government Issued ID.
- Bring Birth Certificate for Child. If none, bring a social security card, insurance card, or something else to help support identification.
- Complete TSL Intake Form & HIPAA Disclosure.
- Provide Authorizations to Receive Results.
- Most DNA will require a Buccal Swab specimen from the mouth.
- Prenatal DNA will require a Blood Draw so you will want to by hydrated.
- Be prepared to have a photo taken of all parties being tested.
- Do not eat anything (particularly meat, vegetables and breast milk for infants) for an hour before arriving.
- You do not have to arrive together or go to the same Test Smartly. Labs Testing Center but do coordinate plans with all parties being tested.
What Are Your Hours?
- All Test Smartly Labs are open Monday through Friday, from 9am - 5pm
Do We Need To Have An Appointment?
- No appointment is required to come into our labs, and all of our locations are on a walk-in basis. However, it is recommended you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to closing. If your situation requires special time considerations, please call us to determine if it would be better to arrange an appointment time.
Do I Need Doctors’ Orders For Testing?
- No doctors’ orders needed, we are a Direct-Access Testing Center. You are encouraged to consult your medical professional with your lab test results.
What’s The Turnaround Time For Lab Work?
- Average turnaround time is 2-5 business days depending on the complexity of the lab work. Most tests are available in 2-3 days.
Do You Need A List Of My Medications For A Drug Test?
- Per protocol, the lab techs are not allowed to receive or ask for your medications. A medical review officer or MRO, a licensed physician who specializes in toxicology, will call you and ask for your medications and your physician’s phone number if it’s detected in your sample during testing. The MRO will then call your physician to verify your medications.
You Can Trust Our Process
There are primarily four elements that drive confidence in the reliability of our DNA tests. These include:
- The samples that are submitted to the laboratory are those of the stated test participants.
- All the lab workers in our network are technically competent for DNA analysis.
- We always test the appropriate number of alleles;
- Test Smartly Labs only partners with AABB lab partners.
The procedure involved in collecting the samples and conducting the test ensures the aforementioned elements are fully accommodated. The said procedure includes four steps:
- Obtain proper consent and positive photographic identification for all test participants.
- Collect, label, and package all samples in a tamper-evident manner.
- End-to-End Transfer and Tracking of the specimens at the AABB Certified Laboratory.
- Thorough documentation at each stage of the DNA lab testing process.
Reliability Defines Legally-Admissible
Legally admissible paternity tests have strict regulatory requirements, and this makes them out to be one of the most expensive paternity test choices. They typically lie within the range of $400- $700, depending on the test being performed. However, the result of a paternity test can be life-altering. In these cases, the best choice is to opt for a test that you can trust, even if it means spending a large amount of money on it. It is far more expensive to use a Home DNA kit or non-legal Paternity test and have to redo the entire testing process and pay for a second test, and that could be for as ignorant a decision as someone not liking the test’s outcome.
Do it right the first time and save money in the long run. The Paternity results last a lifetime, and they are extremely important to all involved.
The AABB And Why They Are Important To Legal Paternity
The chain-of-custody paternity test is carried out by labs accredited by AABB standards. This is an international, non-profit organization representing institutions and individuals involved in the fields of transfusion medicine and cellular therapies.
By carrying on-site inspections to govern quality control and quality assurance in chain-of-custody paternity testing, the AABB ensures that the policies, processes, and procedures in place at its accredited facilities adhere to their published Standards for Relationship Testing Laboratories. The AABB Standards encompass areas including sample collection, laboratory testing, safety, confidentiality, competence, qualifications, experience, and maintenance of records.
Our Popular Products
Paternity DNA Test, Non-Legal “Good To Know”
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Paternity DNA Test, Legally Admissible
Price: $359 / Online Prepay Price: $349 Step 1: Choose a Testing Center location Step 2: Select desired appointment date & time Step 3: Choose "Online Prepay" to receive lowest price OR, select "Pay In-person" option for standard pricing Step 4: Complete the required fields and get tested
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