What Is Involved With a Legal Paternity Test?

While it is possible to undergo a world of different types of DNA paternity testing, it is necessary for the test to be legally recognized in order to be admitted into a court of law. Here is some background on what is required in order for a truly legal paternity test to be established.

Certification Requirements

The first requirement for a legal DNA paternity test is that the samples be collected under the direction of a certified healthcare professional. Often, this will take place in a doctor's office, although it is also possible for the samples to be obtained at a certified lab. The purpose of only obtaining samples in a secure environment is to firmly establish that the samples are obtained from the persons directly concerned in the establishment of paternity, with no chance for any substitutions to be slipped into the process.

Second, a legal paternity test must be conducted under the auspices of a lab that operates with what is called a proper chain of custody. The chain of custody is simply a process that meets all the requirements necessary to allow the results to be admissible to a court of law. The chain outlines every step of the process and provides the means to certify and confirm that the steps within the chain were performed properly and efficiently. Following the chain of custody is absolutely essential to the task of creating a legal paternity test result that will be usable in court. Without verification that the test meets all the requirements set by law, the results will be of no legal value whatsoever.

Confidentiality

Third, the results of the legal paternity test must be kept secure until they are provided to proper legal authorities. In some cases, this means that the results are sealed and delivered directly to the court of jurisdiction. The judge who is presiding at the case will be the first one to see the results and often will choose to share them during the court session just before the ruling takes place. In other situations, the judge may choose to share the results with legal counsel for both the defense and prosecution prior to the session, allowing the parties to consult their clients and perhaps avoid going to trial.

The legal paternity test is all about getting to the truth about the parentage of the child. As an essential tool to ensure that the child has a chance of an ongoing relationship with both parents, as well as ensuring that the health history of the child's ancestry is available for future use, the legal paternity test is one means of making sure justice for the child is accomplished.

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