Determining Which Paternity Test You Need
There are several types of DNA Paternity tests, however, the two main types that are commonly requested for paternity testing are: the Legal paternity test or a Home (a/k/a peace of mind or second opinion) test. You can decide which is appropriate for you by answering a simple question.
Do I need my test because I want to know, get a second opinion, or answer some personal nagging question for myself? If you answer yes, then the Home test is all you need, or
Do I need my test result for some formal (legal) reason such as to add my name to a birth certificate, child support case, as proof for Social Security benefits, to establish a biological relationship for an immigration matter or some other formal matter which usually involves the government? If your answer falls in any of these categories, then the Legal test is what you need.
What’s the difference? For the Home (a/k/a peace of mind or second opinion) samples may be collected by you and documentation paperwork is minimal. For the Legal test, samples must be collected by a trained third party. This method established a chain-of-custody of the collected samples as well as the accompanying documents, and all subjects are photographed and fingerprinted and must provide official government issued identification. Minors who are babies up to a year old are not fingerprinted
A DNA paternity test will positively determine whether a man could be the biological father of a child. Everyone of us inherits our DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) our genetic material or fingerprint from our biological parents; one half from our mother and one half from our father. A DNA paternity test compares a child’s DNA profile with an alleged father’s profile for evidence of DNA inheritance. This is the most definitive proof for establishing biological relationships.
The result of a DNA paternity test has one of two outcomes: the alleged father is not the biological father (an exclusion), or the alleged father is considered the biological father (an inclusion). For our standard paternity tests we guarantee at least a 99.99% probability of paternity for inclusion or 100% certainty of exclusion.
