Legal implications of a paternity test

The paternity test will either exclude a putative father as the biological father or it will include a putative father as the true biological father. A statistical analysis needs to be provided to support this claim if the alleged father is included. But remember that, if you wish to take your paternity test results to court, these will need to comply with the regulations in force in your state or country. You should check these with your lawyer and with the lab before doing the test. Paternity tests valid for court purposes will normally require a strict maintenance of the chain of sample custody.

Paternity tests and similar genetic tests can be helpful in many ways. For instance:

• Establishing the parental responsibility of a parent neglecting his or her support duties. Genetic proof of a biological relationship can provide evidence concerning a child's custody or child support. Such proof is absolutely necessary in a court of law.
  
• Tracing the biological parents of adopted children.
  
• Confirm the parentage of children conceived through IVF or other alternative reproduction technologies.
  
• Reuniting mothers with their babies who were accidentally switched at birth.
  
• Help fathers who have been shockingly informed by their wives that the child is not theirs. But be careful to measure well the consequences of taking a paternity test under such circumstances. Read more.
  
• Help parents who wish to know if their supposedly identical twins are really identical.
  
• Establish the biological relationship between siblings, parents, and grand-parents for insurance or inheritance claims.
  
• Confirm the biological relationship between re-united siblings.
  
• Prove kinship in claims for immigration rights.
  
• Help the police or your own private detective to prove the identity of a criminal who's left biological evidence at the crime scene.
  
• Establish paternity in cases of pregnancy after rape, to help the mother decide whether or not to abort, and to also help as evidence of the intercourse and as proof of the offender's identity. But for this, the mother's doctor must perform a risky amniocentesis.

No matter what the burden of proof may be on an individual asserting or denying paternity, developments in DNA paternity testing make any unsupported claims irrelevant. With proper testing, most cases are decided on scientific evidence that is almost 100% accurate. Science has effectively removed paternity cases from usual rules of litigation and proof. Now courts and legislatures talk about 97% or 99% certainties instead of terms like “preponderance of the evidence”.

An important issue when choosing a lab to conduct a paternity test is confidentiality. Choose only among recommended labs which follow the guidelines and standards set out by their country's laws.


Related resources:

Motherless paternity test
Testing the right kid
Testing the right father
Can the result be wrong?

Bookmark this page
Send this page to a friend
Print this page

Paternity test homepage

patrenity test / ptaernity test / paternity tset / oaternity test / laternity test / psternity test / pzternity test / pqternity test / parernity test / pagernity test / payernity test / pateenity test / patetnity test / pategnity test / patefnity test / patermity test / paterhity test / paterbity test / paternoty test / paternuty test / paternkty test / paterniry test / paternigy test / paterniyy test / paternitt test / paternitu test / paternith test / paternity rest / paternity gest / paternity yest / paternity teet / paternity teat / paternity tedt / paternity tewt / paternity tesr / paternity tesg / paternity tesy / DNA tset / DNA rest / DNA gest / DNA yest / DNA teet / DNA teat / DNA tedt / DNA tewt / DNA tesr / DNA tesg / DNA tesy / child support / dhild support / vhild support / xhild support / cnild support / ctild support / cgild support / cbild support / chold support / chuld support / chkld support / chipd support / chimd support / chikd support / chile support / chils support / chilc support / chilf support / child eupport / child aupport / child dupport / child wupport / child sipport / child sypport / child sjpport / child suoport / child sulport / child supoort / child suplort / child support / child supplrt / child suppprt / child suppoet / child suppott / child suppogt / child suppoft / child supporr / child supporg / child suppory / genetic identificatino / genetic identifictaion / gneetic identification / genetic idetnification / geneitc identification / genetic identificatoin / genetic iedntification / renetic identification / nenetic identification / tenetic identification / henetic identification / gemetic identification / gehetic identification / gebetic identification / generic identification / genegic identification / geneyic identification / genetoc identification / genetuc identification / genetkc identification / genetid identification / genetiv identification / genetix identification / genetic odentification / genetic udentification / genetic kdentification / genetic ieentification / genetic isentification / genetic icentification / genetic ifentification / genetic idemtification / genetic idehtification / genetic idebtification / genetic idenrification / genetic idengification / genetic idenyification / genetic identofication / genetic identufication / genetic identkfication / genetic identirication / genetic identitication / genetic identicication / genetic identidication / genetic identifocation / genetic identifucation / genetic identifkcation / genetic identifidation / genetic identifivation / genetic identifixation / genetic identificstion / genetic identificztion / genetic identificqtion / genetic identificarion / genetic identificagion / genetic identificayion / genetic identificatoon / genetic identificatuon / genetic identificatkon / genetic identificatiin / genetic identificatiln / genetic identificatipn / genetic identificatiom / genetic identificatioh / genetic identificatiob / biological fahter / biological fatehr / biological fathre / biological ftaher / boilogical father / niological father / giological father / viological father / boological father / buological father / bkological father / biilogical father / billogical father / biplogical father / biopogical father / biomogical father / biokogical father / bioligical father / biollgical father / biolpgical father / biolorical father / biolonical father / biolotical father / biolohical father / biologocal father / biologucal father / biologkcal father / biologidal father / biologival father / biologixal father / biologicsl father / biologiczl father / biologicql father / biologicap father / biologicam father / biologicak father / biological rather / biological tather / biological cather / biological dather / biological fsther / biological fzther / biological fqther / biological farher / biological fagher / biological fayher / biological fatner / biological fatter / biological fatger / biological fatber / biological fathee / biological fathet / biological fatheg / biological fathef