Tuesday, January 1, 2019

The Importance Of Legal Paternity Testing

By Ronald Jackson


When it comes to DNA testing, there are a number of reasons individuals may wish to do so. While providing DNA to companies which provide information on ancestry and heritage is currently quite popular, there are other reasons such as legal paternity testing which can have both positive and negative connotations for those involved.

When DNA is used for legal issues related to determining whether or not there is a biological connection between two individuals, genetic fingerprinting is used to prove whether each individual shares the same biological markers. In most cases, this type of testing is used to determine whether an individual is the birth father of a child. Whereas, there are new maternity tests which can now show whether a woman is the birth mother of an individual.

Paternal DNA tests can also provide information as to the likelihood of grandparents having a biological connection to grandchildren. While new DNA tests are often considered the most accurate, there are older methods which are still used to prove biological relationships. These include ABO blood group typing, using leukocyte antigen antigens or by analyzing enzymes and proteins between the two individuals.

Along with DNA, other current tests include polymorphism or RLFP and polymerase chain reaction or PCR. In addition, paternity testing can also take place in the womb while a woman is still pregnant through blood draws and comparisons. While this is the case, DNA tests are still the most advanced and accurate of all such tests.

When being used for legal reasons, there are specific factors which must be included during DNA tests. One of the most important factors is that those seeking such tests choose a reputable firm which has authority to provide legal DNA tests. For, there is a percentage related to the DNA match involved in the process which follows the chain of custody often used in the process.

In most cases, companies providing such tests can be found online or in local directories. While this is the case, when looking for tests with regards to legal reasons, it is important to use a reputable firm with a history of accuracy. It should also be noted that those seeking a test for legal reasons must also provide multiple forms of identification as often required by law.

The evidence necessary must be extremely clear with the ability to convince a judge or other official the results are accurate. In fact, the evidence must be even more convincing than most provided during a civil litigation case. As such, the results must provide accuracy beyond a reasonable doubt that the individual and child are related before any legal action such as adoption can be finalized.

Those working in this area related to immigration in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and France have been requesting DNA tests to determine biological connections in situations in which birth certificates or other documents are not available. While this is the case, very few countries have actually began requiring individuals undergo such tests. For, it can often hard to assure that a test is accurate when the petitioners and beneficiaries can not provide valid forms of ID.




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