Paternity tests have recently become extremely popular and are used in many different scenarios. In court, to legally prove the identity of the father of the child for child support, to establishing parental rights and to getting custody or inheritance. In these cases, the courts ALWAYS require the parties involved to get a legally admissible paternity DNA test.
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.
The most obvious reason would be that it is one of the most secure tests, due to which it is acceptable in most courts and is unlikely to face judicial challenge or rejection. As the sample identification and course of testing is so rigorously documented, 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. The test is always performed by third parties who have certified specimen collectors specially trained to maintain the integrity of the DNA specimen and accurately track and document the specimen and its donor. The independent lab that has no interest in the results of the test and is completely unbiased.
Some factors are involved which make the Paternity-DNA test extremely accurate and reliable. You see, there are two elements which determine the reliability of a DNA test. These include:
- The level of confidence that the samples that were submitted to the laboratory are those of the stated test participants.
- The level of technical competence of the laboratory performing the DNA analysis.
- Number of Alleles Tested
- AABB Certification of the DNA laboratory. Test Smartly Labs only partners with AABB lab partners.
The procedures involved in collecting the samples and conducting the test ensure that the aforementioned two elements are fully accommodated. The 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.
The steps involved ensuring that the samples are very secure and each step in the testing process can be traced in case of an investigation. They also play a part in minimizing identification and laboratory errors.
This chain-of-custody paternity test is carried out by labs accredited by AABB standards which may also have other certifications. It is an international, non-profit organization representing institutions and individuals involved in the fields of transfusion medicine and cellular therapies.
AABB carry on-site inspections to govern quality control and quality assurance in chain-of-custody paternity testing by ensuring that the policies, processes, and procedures in place at its accredited facilities adhere to AABB’s 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.
Legally admissible paternity tests have strict regulatory requirements, which make 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. The result of a paternity test can be life-altering. In that case, 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 when someone doesn’t like the outcome of the paternity test results. 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.
To find out more about legally admissible Paternity DNA Testing, contact Test Smartly Labs today…