Legal DNA Test
Price: R5295
Testing: Alleged parent and child/children
Timeframe: within 5-7 working days of receipt of DNA samples at the laboratories
All Court Approved DNA Test requests will be performed by a laboratory which has been accredited by the Ministry of Justice as a body that may carry out parentage tests directed by the civil courts in England and Wales under section 20 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969.
All International Biosciences’ DNA analysis and DNA testing is carried out at a laboratory accredited by the AABB and accredited in accordance with the recognised International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 by ACLASS, a signatory to the ILAC arrangement. Click here to view the full list of Signatories to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement which includes the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).
We suggest you return samples by courier directly to our office because the local postal system has proved unreliable and we cannot be responsible for samples that do not reach us.
Uses Of a Legal Test
Legal DNA test results are used in various instances including child custody, alimony/ child support, changing the name on a birth certificate, solving disagreements about parentage and even as evidence of paternity in matters of inheritance. The test results provide hard, scientific evidence about which man is the biological father.
International Biosciences cannot unconditionally guarantee your results will be accepted in a court of law. Judges in family courts will always act in the best interests of the child or children. This means that although the results of a legal paternity test cannot be disputed, a judge can still refute the results of a test.
Science Behind The Test
Once we extract a 21 genetic marker profile from the sample of the alleged father and the child (or mother and child in the case of a legal maternity test), we compare the 2 profiles. If we see that all genetic markers on the profile of the alleged father and the child are identical and match at every point, we can confirm that the tested father is the biological father of the child. If genetic markers do not match, then the tested father is not the biological father of the child.
Legal Testing Sample Collection
Unlike a peace of mind test, where individuals are responsible for collecting their own samples, a legal test has a very different procedure in place. A neutral third party sampler will need to be appointed for the sample collection and we will send a legal sample collection kit directly to your chosen sampler. Your kit will contain:
• 4 oral swabs per person
• Instructions
• Consent forms
Carrying out the test is very straightforward. The Court Approved DNA tests require that an independent witness, such as a GP or health professional, oversees the sample collection process and is able to verify photo ID and maintain chain of custody. The chain of custody is essentially a procedure used in legal scenarios where all samples must be collected in a certain way and the provenance of each sample collected documented. The consent forms need also be filled out and include personal details such as names, surnames, email addresses and provide signatures – consent forms need to be returned back to us along with the samples.
The sampler will be only person handling the swabs. Swab samples need to be collected from every test participant by rubbing the swabs inside the mouth for ten seconds.
The instructions inside the kit will explain the procedure to follow and any precautions required.
FAQs
What is the cost of a legal test?
• What type of test do you need?
• How many people are taking part in the test?
• Do we need to send out additional kits?
• Where are the test participants based?
Note that any fees relating to sample collection are set by the sampler. Embassies or consulates will have their own samplers. Any fees for sample collection are not included in the cost of our test.
What is the difference between a legal test and a home test?
The laboratory testing processes for Court Approved and Peace of Mind DNA tests are exactly the same. The difference is that Court Approved tests require a witness, proof of identity and special chain of custody procedures. A Peace of Mind DNA Test is not legally binding because there is no proof that samples have been collected from the correct participants.
The Peace of Mind test is intended to be a private way of allowing families to resolve any questions without involving other parties.
