subject: Can An At Home Paternity Test Be Legally Binding Or Court Admissible? Yes! [print this page] To obtain a legally binding result, the DNA collection must be done with a chain of custody. This is meant to preserve the objectivity of the result. The chain of custody begins at the time the order for your DNA test is processed. According to guidelines set for accredited laboratories, the most crucial step in maintaining the chain of custody is that the DNA collection be witnessed by a third-party with nothing to gain or lose from the outcome of the test. This can refer to a financial gain or loss, or a relationship to gain or lose. There are no other set qualifications the witness needs to meet other than being neutral to the outcome of the test. It is not required for the witness to be a notary or medical personnel. Many people do use a professional they know and trust, however it is not a requirement for your legally binding test.
Most people automatically turn to a professionally collected DNA test, however the same legally binding document can be obtained by choosing your own third-party, non-interested witness. This witness can essentially be anyone who is not a relative, involved in a relationship with anyone in the family, or married into the family, or have a financial gain or loss relating to the results of the test.
The process begins with sending the test kit directly to the witness. This witness is to stay in control of the test and samples throughout the process. The test and samples should not ever be left in the control of any test participant. The witness will gather everyone together, and the sealed test should then be opened, administered and re-sealed in front of all participants. The witness will remain in control of the samples until they are mailed to the AABB accredited lab that is to process them.
A major benefit of choosing an At-Home Legal DNA test, over a professionally collected test, is that you do not have to work within the business hours of a collector or collection facility. May times, it is difficult to take time off of work and take children out of school for the testing procedure.
The complete testing process can be done sooner with a self-collected legal test. If time is of the essence, a self-collected test can be done as soon as the witness receives the kit, which is mailed via FedEx Overnight shipping. This could save you time in that you do not have to work around scheduling an appointment with a collector that may have an already busy schedule.
Another significant benefit, and perhaps the most attractive of all, is that you do not have to pay the collector/witness. Collection fees can range from $50-$100 per person.
If your situation is one where everyone can agree upon choosing your own third-party witness, a true savings can be realized by exploring this collection option for your court admissible DNA test.
