Thursday 3 January 2019

The Importance Of Legal Paternity Testing

By Ronald Jackson


Currently, DNA testing is all the rage when it comes to seeking information about ancestry and heritage. While this is the case, there are a number of other reasons individuals seek out such tests. In one case, DNA is used in legal paternity testing to confirm the biological connection between father and child.

When being used in this way, the process involves genetic fingerprinting in order to confirm whether or not biological markers prove the two individuals are related. The most accurate tests rate at ninety-nine percent accuracy and use DNA matching to establish proof that there is a genetic match. Whereas, mothers can now request a maternity test to prove that the individual is the birth mother of a child.

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.

Polymorphism or RLFP and polymerase or PCR are two types of tests which are related to DNA matching. In addition, paternity tests can now be completed at any point during pregnancy. In the case of DNA matching in an unborn child, DNA is acquired from the individual believed to be the father and matched to that of the unborn child.

The legal issues associated with such testing can be extremely complex with different rules depending on the country in which an individual or individuals reside. As such, when obtaining a DNA Paternity test for legal reasons it is important to use a reputable firm which has been approved to work in this area. For, there is a specific DNA percentage test which follows a strict chain of custody used in this process.

Adoption, biological markers, child support, inheritance, welfare benefits and immigration are often the main reasons an individual seeks DNA tests. As such, the tests need to come from a company licensed to provide such information to a court, judge or other public servant. In order to satisfy custody requirements, all those undergoing tests have to provide positive identification such as a birth certificate, drivers license or social security card. In addition, those providing these tests can have no relation to, or interest in, the outcome.

Lastly, the evidence must be so strong that a judge or other official can be as close to 100% sure as possible that the test results are accurate. In most cases, it is advised that the evidence submitted is stronger than that of DNA found in a number of civil or criminal cases. For, the results must show beyond a reasonable doubt that the two individuals share the same DNA before any legal action such as obtaining child support or filing for adoption of a child can be finalized.

Authorities working in the area of immigration in different countries have been requesting DNA matches for petitioners of asylum and relatives. In most cases, those submitting to these requests are doing so on a voluntary basis. While this is the case, there is a lot of fear that if this becomes routine, the process will be misused and a number of people will be lost in the system and never reunited with parents, friends or relatives.




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