The legal DNA paternity test is the test chosen by those wishing to pursue matters in a legal court, for example, over issues of alimony or inheritance. Its use also extends itself to immigration DNA tests as the test might be a required together with the immigration application. If you are looking for this type of test it is important to be well-advised about what a legal paternity test is and how it is done as it is carried out differently to an ‘at home’ test.

The procedure required in a legal paternity test is commonly referred to as the ‘chain of custody’ and ensures that you paternity test results will stand in a court of law.

Ordering and Pricing for a Court Approved Paternity Test

Once we have received your order we will prepare your Legal Paternity test kit and dispatch it within 48 hours. In the kit, you will find all that is required to get the test done including the necessary paperwork, instructions for taking DNA samples and the sampling kit.

The price of the Legal Paternity test is $395. Please note that this price does not include sampler’s fees. You will first receive your results by email within 5 to 7 working days. A hard copy will also be sent to you at the same time and should be received a few days later; the hard copy will be notarized.

The Procedure in a Legal Paternity Test

The procedure is as stated rather more complex and you will be further advised about how to go about this type of paternity test when you order the test.

In a legal paternity test, a neutral third party will be responsible for taking DNA swabs from the people involved in the test; commonly, this person will be referred to as the Sampler. Often, your family doctor or a qualified nurse can act as the sampler for your test. The neutral third party acts as a guarantee that none of the swabs have been tampered with and that there has been no exchange of swabs or deliberate contamination of the DNA samples.

Identity of People doing the Court Admissible DNA Test

The legal paternity test must be cheat-proof. In order to eliminate any chance of cheating:

• People doing the test must provide two passport sized photos with full view of their face- no head gear or any hair in front of the face.
• The participants in the test will at no stage be able to handle the swabs.
• The person taking the samples, the sampler, will authenticate the photos by signing the back of these and declaring that the samples taken are from the people in the photos.
• The sampler then signs and dates the photos.

The chain of custody also requires that all participants bring a form of identity that will again help the sampler confirm that the participants of the test are those who should actually be participating. We also recommend that each person takes a copy of their chosen form of identification and signs and dates the back of it.

Types of identification accepted for a Legal DNA Test

Please make sure that whichever form of identification you choose has no expired. The following highlights the usual forms: Passport, Full Drivers License, National Identity Card with photo, Armed Forces ID card, Pass card issued by a Government Department or other photo ID. Certified copy of birth certificate for children tested.

Further information about the Sampler’s Role

The people involved in the test will not be responsible for sending the swabs for testing- the sampler will do this. The sampler will send the swabs back to us in the pre-addressed envelope and they will then be tested in our laboratories. The participants cannot come into contact with the swabs beyond the sampling stage. The results are then sent back to the client and can then be presented in court.

It is important to note that legal DNA testing is available for our DNA Paternity testing as well as other Relationship DNA Tests.

To order your legal paternity test please click here or alternatively contact us directly to discuss your DNA test.