Legal DNA Paternity Testing » M. M. Day

Cost of Paternity Test Kits: What You Need to Know

M. M. Day — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:52:56 +0000

If you you considering purchasing an at home or legal paternity test kit, there are some factors you need to be on the watch for to make sure you do not end up paying much more than you expected. When shopping in a retail store or even online, you may be seduced by the cost of paternity test kits advertised for as little of $20. However, these prices rarely (if ever) represent the true cost of the paternity test. The cheap price you are quoted is only for the testing materials themselves (which might involve as little as a cotton swab, mailing materials, and testing instructions). With such kits, you will end up paying more (sometimes much, much more) for the test to be processed and to obtain the results from the paternity test kit.

In order to protect yourself when purchasing a paternity test kit make sure you know what all the costs involved will be (for testing materials, processing and results). You will also want to make sure the lab is properly certified and that they have a good reputation and quick turn around for providing results from the kit. There are many excellent companies that provide cheap paternity test kits online, so with some careful comparison shopping you should be able to find a company that suits your needs. If you are needing to use your results in court, you will also need to make sure that the paternity test you choose is a legally certifiable DNA test for the state in which you live.

The cost of paternity test kits should not be excessive – most companies can provide all the testing and processing for under $300, and some will be considerably cheaper. Just make sure you know all the costs upfront so there are no unpleasant surprises later.

For more information and articles about properly selecting home DNA test kits, return to the Legal DNA Paternity Testing homepage.

Cheap Paternity Test

M. M. Day — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:57:22 +0000

If you are concerned about a paternity issue but do not have a lot of cash at hand, there are ways to find and take a cheap paternity test.

First, if you are only interested in the paternity results for personal reasons, the testing process will be quite a bit cheaper than if you are looking for a legally certifiable paternity test. Legal DNA paternity tests are for those that need to use the results in court, and the tests are more expensive since they must involve an unbiased witness to the testing process and be legally notarized.

One of the best ways to find a cheap paternity test is to look at different available options online. There are some companies that will offer paternity testing for under $100, but you need to be careful as many of these low priced paternity tests only include the DNA testing materials and you will have to pay additional fees to get the results. This can easily add an additional $100-$300 to the testing fees.

There are, however, some reliable online companies that offer cheap paternity test options. These companies tend to be the larger testing supply companies that are able to keep their overhead costs low because of the large amount of tests they process each day. You should make sure that the testing company you select is fully certified, offers a quick turn around for testing results, and does not have any additional hidden fees that you will have to pay down the road.

By following these tips you should be able to get a cheap paternity test online that has accurate, confidential results. If you need a paternity test that is certifiable for courts, you can read more about getting a court ordered paternity test and legal DNA paternity testing in other articles posted here at the Legal DNA Paternity Testing information website.

Selecting Home DNA Test Kits

M. M. Day — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:01:26 +0000

There are a wide variety of home DNA test kits currently available online, and selecting the one that is best for you takes careful research and price comparison shopping with different online retailers. Although it may be tempting to purchase your home DNA test kit from the first online retailer you visit that has a good price, there are reasons you should look at at least a few different retailers before making your final selection.

Home DNA test kits are often called “direct-to-consumer” DNA tests, since they do not require a doctor’s authorization to purchase or use. Different states have different regulations regarding their purchase, so one of the first steps you need to take is to make sure that the test you want is available for the area you live.

Next you need to look at what is included in the pricing. You may be caught up $99 offers for home DNA test kits, but you need to make sure that what you are purchasing not only includes the testing equipment but also the testing results. If not, that kit will become useless to you unless you are willing to shell out often hundreds of dollars more in money to find out what the results are.

Finally, for any all home DNA test kits you need to use sensible precautions when it comes to interpreting the results you receive. For example, there are many different environmental, behavior and social influences on disease, and if you are taking a test for genetic predisposition for disease you should be sure that the company (or another source) provides reliable information on how to interpret your results given this complexity. It is because of the difficulty in understanding genetic results that many states and countries ban the use of over the counter home DNA test kits. If you have questions that the DNA test kit company cannot answer, you should go to your family practitioner or a genetic specialist to get more information.

If you are interested in learning more about home DNA test kits, including information about paternity testing kits, please return to the Legal DNA Paternity Testing information website.

Home DNA Testing Kits

M. M. Day — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:49:08 +0000

If you have questions about paternity, ancestry or genetic predispositions to certain diseases, home DNA testing kits can provide excellent and confidential sources of information and answers. Often also called “direct-to-consumer” (DTC) kits, home DNA testing kits bypass the often costly and time consuming process of having to go to a laboratory or doctor’s office for DNA analysis. Although they are not legal in every state in the United States, and they are banned in certain European countries, they do provide a valuable service if certain precautions are taken.

First, if you are screening for genetic diseases, you should understand that home DNA testing kits need to be considered in conjunction with many other factors that influence the development of many diseases tested for in home DNA testing kits. There are a range of environmental, social and behavior factors that can influence disease along with genetic factors.

Second, if you are interested in home DNA testing kits for paternity, you should know that although these tests are highly reliable and may be the best choice in many circumstances, but the results from these test are not admissible in court. For a court ordered paternity test, or to use the results in any court proceedings or to provide as evidence to government welfare agencies, you will need to have legal DNA paternity testing done.

Finally, although there are a variety of excellent laboratories that sell affordable home DNA testing kits online, you should always compare prices between companies for these tests, being sure the prices include both the DNA testing kit and laboratory results. Home DNA testing kits generally range in price from a couple of hundred dollars up to several hundred dollars.

By carefully comparing prices of online laboratories and keeping these cautionary points in mind, you should be able to get some answers to pressing questions you have regarding paternity, genetics, ancestry and more.

You can find more information about home DNA testing kits on the Legal DNA Paternity Testing homepage

DNA Testing for Paternity

M. M. Day — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:01:26 +0000

If you are interested in DNA testing for paternity, there are two main routes that you can pursue. The first is using an at home DNA paternity test, and the second is having legal DNA paternity testing done. Each of these different routes has different advantages and disadvantages, outlined below.

With a home DNA paternity test kit, you will have the advantage of keeping your DNA testing for paternity confidential and discrete. A home DNA paternity test is ideal for individuals who wish to do a paternity test but do not want to create undo tension, especially if the results do not conflict with what is expected.

An at home DNA paternity test kit can easily be purchased online (often the best deal), or over the counter in certain pharmacies. You will be able to choose between a buccal swab DNA paternity test or a hair home DNA paternity test. With the buccal swab kit, a cotton like swab is rubbed on the inside of the mouth of the individuals being tested, while with a hair DNA paternity test three or more pieces of hair are needed (entire lengths of hair from head, public or other regions are acceptable, but these hair pieces must contain the root portion – cut hair will not suffice). With DNA testing for paternity kits, the possible father, child, and sometimes the biological mother are tested, and results are available from one to three weeks depending on the test kit provider.

Legal DNA paternity testing is the best route to go if you are involved in legal motions involving child custody and support. A legal DNA paternity test (or a court ordered paternity test) differ from home DNA paternity tests in that there is a third, impartial witness to the testing process involved, and some courts may require that the mother be tested as well as the presumed father and child.

With a legal DNA paternity test, the testing process will be monitored by a witness and the final results will be notarized and can be submitted as evidence in court or to appropriate government or state agencies (be sure, however, to check what the legal requirements are for the state you live in, since this can vary).

Home DNA paternity test kits tend to be a bit more cheaper than legal DNA paternity testing. An at home DNA paternity test usually runs less than $300, while a court ordered or legal DNA paternity test can cost up to $500.

DNA testing for paternity can be a very emotionally charged process. Careful thought and choice should be given as to which variety of DNA testing for paternity is right given the circumstances at hand. For more information about DNA testing for paternity, please visit the Legal DNA Paternity Testing website.

At Home Paternity Testing Kits

M. M. Day — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:52:31 +0000

At home paternity testing kits are a wonderful technology that for under $300 can provide highly accurate, confidential results regarding the paternity of a child. These tests generally cost less than $300 and are available from a variety of online companies and can be bough over the counter in some store locations as well.

There are two kinds of home paternity testing kits that most consumers will encounter when shopping online or in stores. The first is known as a “buccal swab analysis” and the second is hair sample analysis.

With a buccal swab, a cotton like swab is rubbed on the inside of the mouth to collect cells that are then sent to a laboratory for analysis. For hair DNA analysis, a full length of hair (including the root section) is sent to the laboratory. This can be head, body or pubic hair, but it cannot be cut hair since this will not contain the root. A typical hair sample DNA test will require you pluck three or more hairs from the person or persons being tested and place them in a coded sealed container.

Home DNA test kits can be used not only establish paternity but also for ancestry DNA testing, and for finding predisposition to certain diseases. Most home DNA tests will take up to three weeks to obtain results.

Home DNA paternity tests are important devices when individuals or families seek to ascertain paternity in a confidential manner, but you should be aware that they have no legal standing in courts. If you are interested in using your DNA results in a court case, you will need to have a legally certified DNA test conducted.

You can read more about legal DNA paternity testing, including information about court ordered paternity tests, at the Legal DNA Paternity Testing website.

How to Get a Court Ordered Paternity Test

M. M. Day — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:28:43 +0000

There are several reasons an individual may want a court ordered paternity test, but probably the most common reason is to establish paternity so that an order of support can be issued. Court ordered paternity tests can also be issued to seek state and federal reimbursement of aid paid to a mother, and may be important to child custody and visitation hearings as well.

In order to have a court order a paternity test, a court must have a reason to seek that paternity is established in a case. Usually court ordered paternity tests are ordered when a man will not voluntarily agree to a legal paternity test, but the mother often must also provide reasonable evidence to justify an assertion that the man is indeed the father of the child. This is often done by having the mother provide details under oath about her relationship with the man she is alleging is the father of the child, including providing dates of contact around the time of conception, as well as any further contact during pregnancy and birth. The court will be especially interested in any evidence of financial support provided by the alleged father for the child, cohabitation of the two individuals, and any other action that the man may have taken that suggests he may be the father of the child.

In some states, if a man has assumed responsibility for parenting a child and has acted as the father of the child, he may be legally responsible even if he is not the biological father of the child. In other states, a man may not be obliged to care for any child not biologically related to him.

If a voluntary legal DNA paternity test or a court ordered paternity test determine a man is the father of a child, a order of child support will likely be issued and a visitation schedule and custody hearings will also be held to determine what arrangements are in the best interest of the child.

If you are interested in obtaining a court ordered paternity test, it is strongly suggested you consult a family lawyer prior to moving forward on any legal action. Given the highly emotionally charged nature of custody and paternity hearings, having proper legal counsel is very important before proceeding. If you are not able to afford a lawyer, you may want to check with a legal aid clinic in your area, or see if there are any family lawyers who offer their services pro bono in your area.

Court ordered paternity tests can provide valuable evidence of paternity when there is a legal dispute. However, it may also be in your best interest to try to establish paternity outside of the court system if there is no pressing legal need to do so, or if paternity is very much in question. In these cases, you may find that using a simple, at home DNA paternity test is much cheaper and easier than going through a court to get an order of paternity test. For more information about legal DNA paternity testing and at home DNA tests please return to the Legal DNA Paternity Testing website.

DNA Home Tests: What to Know, What to Guard Against

M. M. Day — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:20:05 +0000

DNA home tests, also called direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests, have some advantages to consumers, but there are also many reasons to be cautious when using one of these tests. There are over a thousand different DNA home tests available. These include everything from DNA home tests to ascertain paternity to tests that look at gene disorders like cystic fibrosis, to those that look at multiple genetic factors in an attempt to determine an individuals predisposition to a disease.

DNA home tests that are marketed directly to consumers are legal in about half the states in the United States, although they are banned in many European countries. One of the dangers of home DNA tests is that for the tests looking at genetic disease predisposition, the individual taking the test may not fully understand how such diseases are also influenced by a range of environmental, social, behavioral and genetic factors. As a result, they may falsely conclude they have more or less risk for a disease based on the results of home DNA tests.

This is one of the main reasons so many states and European countries have banned the use of home DNA tests. But also, many of the companies that sell home DNA test kits have an interest in marketing and selling individuals supplements to improve your health based on your results, and there is serious concern that the commercial interests of many of these companies may be influencing the information and the manner they relate to consumers who use at home DNA tests.

There is, however, at least one major advantage to using an home DNA tests: privacy concerns. Although you need to read the fine print regarding privacy and disclosure for any company you purchase a home DNA test from, the desire to keep the results private is one major motivating factor for many consumers.

Recently the American Societies of Human Genetics made some recommendations regarding how to best ascertain and use at home DNA tests. They suggest that you carefully read the privacy policy for the company to ascertain who confidential the results will be and if there will be any risk to your insurance if there are negative results. The company should be able to tell you in plain language how predictive and scientifically valid their results are, especially in comparison to other disease risk factors. The company should also have some policy regarding how to deal with the emotional consequences of a result showing predisposition to diseases. And finally, the laboratory should be certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988.

As common sense always suggests, however, with any home DNA test that you are purchasing online or elsewhere, be sure to read the fine print and make sure the tests come from high quality labs with a national reputation.

For more information about home DNA paternity test kits, please return to the Legal DNA Paternity Testing homepage.

At Home DNA Paternity Test Kits

M. M. Day — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:50:37 +0000

Why would choose an at home DNA paternity test kit over a legal DNA paternity test?

If you are are seeking a private method of DNA paternity testing, an at home test kit may be the best choice. DNA paternity test kits allow for self-collection of materials, and can help avoid unnecessary confrontations or tensions that often occur with a legal DNA paternity testing.

If you are taking the DNA paternity test only for personal knowledge and do not plan on any immediate legal actions, an at home DNA paternity test is an easy and affordable option when compared to a legal DNA paternity test. Both legal and at home DNA paternity tests have the same level of accuracy of results, but if you do not need the legal documentation, you can save yourself a bit of money by choosing an at home DNA paternity test.

Even if you may be seeking legal action, home DNA paternity test may be the best choice for you initially. Many choose to use an at home DNA paternity test to help prove or disprove any doubts about paternity prior to obtaining a legal DNA paternity test.

At home DNA paternity test kits are also easily available online or over the counter, and provide quick results with minimum hassle. Do make sure, however, when pricing your at home DNA paternity test that the price you are paying also includes obtaining the results (or find out how much extra the results will cost). You should expect to pay in the $100-300 range for most at home paternity test kits.

There are many reasons to choose an at home DNA paternity test kit. However, if you think legal DNA paternity testing may be the best choice for you, or if you are interested in obtaining or have been ordered to take a court ordered paternity test, please read the other articles at Legal DNA Paternity Testing for more information.

Court Ordered Paternity Test: What You Need to Know

M. M. Day — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:41:08 +0000

What is a Court Ordered Paternity Test?

A court ordered paternity test is a DNA test that is administered according to the specifications of a court order. In such tests, the possible or presumed father and child (and sometimes the mother) will undergo legal DNA paternity testing as mandated by the court order.

Why Would You Want a Court Ordered Paternity Test?

Fathers seeking visitation rights and mothers seeking child support are two frequent parties seeking a court ordered paternity test. Government agencies may also want a court ordered paternity test administered to a presumed father in order to reimburse state or federal support and medical expenses being paid for a child.

How Do You Get a Court Ordered Paternity Test?

If you are interested in obtaining a court ordered paternity test, it is advisable to contact a lawyer you specializes in custody matters. If you are unable to afford such a lawyer, check your local phone directory or look online for a legal aid clinic in your area, or a lawyer who is willing to work “pro bono” on such issues. If this fails, contact your state’s attorney general’s office. This is the agency that is responsible for enforcing child support orders and collecting child support payments. It is in their interest to ensure that biological fathers are paying child support (which also means they are entitled to visitation rights), and they are likely to be able to provide some assistance in this matter.

How is a Court Ordered Paternity Test Taken?

Although in some rare cases a court ordered paternity test will be ordered while the child is still in the womb (often using the somewhat risky amniocentesis procedure), in general such tests will be administered after the infant is born.

A court ordered paternity test is a painless procedure (if done after the baby is born). Generally it involves a cotton swab being rubbed on the inside of the mouth. This testing will need to be done at a laboratory certified for legal DNA paternity testing by your state, and the court order may have additional requirements as well that will need to be met.

A court ordered paternity test has a high level of certainty regarding results. Most legal DNA paternity tests provide a 99.99% level of accuracy when it comes to determining that a man is the biological father of a child, and 100% level of accuracy when it comes to excluding a man as father (determining that a man is not the father of a child).

What Other Options Do I Have for DNA Paternity Testing?

If you do not wish to involve the courts in a paternity dispute, there are also at home paternity testing kits that can be purchased over the counter. These kits have no legal enforcement, but they are as accurate as a court ordered paternity test and can help answer lingering questions and help resolved disputes regarding paternity outside a court setting.

For further information about court ordered paternity tests and legal DNA paternity testing, please return to the Legal DNA Paternity Testing homepage.