Requesting a paternity test is no easy decision. The tests can be very expensive, and the results can turn your world on its head. Depending on your circumstances, you have two options: home DNA paternity test, or legal DNA paternity test. This article explains the vital difference between the two.
It’s important to note that, regardless of the option you pursue, DNA tests today are 99.999% accurate. Both require the use of a medical laboratory so mistakes aren’t made. The answer that you receive is still going to be 99.999% correct, whether you’re in court or in your living room.
Home DNA Paternity Tests
These kits are pretty self-explanatory and easy to use. Most require cheek swabs from the parent and child and offer instructions on the mailing process, including how long you’ll have to wait to hear the results. If you’ve ever ordered drug tests online or wanted to play around with a hair follicle drug test, the process is very similar — you take a sample of yourself (whether it be saliva, hair, or urine) and ship it to a lab that examines the findings and informs you of them either via mail or through an online portal.
The most essential thing to know about home paternity tests is that they are not admissible in court. Legal systems cannot comfortably guarantee that you’re providing your DNA, so they will need to take another sample themselves to be absolutely sure.
Legal DNA Paternity Tests
Paternity tests performed in a court home can be used in legal trials. They are commonly used in battles for custody or disputes over child support, in addition to inheritance rights and to assist the expedition of immigration application approvals. Being court-ordered to take a paternity test is like being asked to agree to a drug screening in an interview: you can and probably will be penalized if you refuse.
If you are the one that requested the legal paternity test, the court has a part in the events that occur when the results are known. For example, if the suspected father is named as the biological father, child support and (potentially) child custody hearings will take place.