Legal DNA Test

The recently discovered genetic markers help us in tracing our ancestry and provide us with more information about the genetic roots. The segments that carry this genetic information are called genes. Legal DNA test results performed under strict regulations are accepted in courts of law.

Purposes of Legal DNA test

Legal DNA test is carried out to establish paternity for settling family issues, prove sibblingship or for resolving inheritance disputes, and in the case of adoption and immigration etc. The test is required as proof of paternity in the court of law doe child support and child custody and related cases.

Legal DNA test procedure

Legal DNA test requires strictly following procedures as set forth by the AABB, American Association of Blood Banks and ISO and the tests follow a strict chain of custody. The procedures for legal the test are:

• The samples are collected by a trained professional in the presence of a neutral third party.
• The tested parties should submit proper identification documents at the time of sample collection.
• The samples should be sealed with tamper tape at the collection site and secured packaged and shipped to the lab. The samples are tested for tamper before testing.

DNA Testing Direct

DNA Testing Direct and Sorenson Genomics are providing Legal DNA testing services in 70 countries and the US and UK since 1997. These tests are designed specially for use in the court of law with 99.9999 percent proof of paternity with an accuracy of 100 percent. This test is affordable, easy and fast.

DNA Worldwide Group

The legal DNA tests of DNA Worldwide Group are ISO 9001 certified, GMP approved and FDA inspected and meet the best of standards available in the world. Their testing center is AABB compliant and ISO 17025 accredited using the state of the art computer system that uses Oracle database with most secure hosting.

DNA Bioscience

This is the leading legal DNA testing service with a 100 percent track record for accurate and reliable results with professionalism and efficiency it is recognized for its ISO 170125 standards.

Legal paternity test is used to settle family and relationship issues in courts. The Legal DNA tests are performed following strict procedures with witnessed documentation of the identity of tested parties.

Immigration DNA Testing

Legal residency and citizenship can be established through Immigration DNA testing. There are specific legal guidelines for paternity testing stipulated by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and International Standards Organization (ISO). The INS and Department of Human Services accepts the Immigration DNA testing from AABB and ISO accredited labs as proof of ethnicity.

GTL

GTL is an accredited by the INS and Department of Human Services as a supplier for immigration DNA testing. The services include result interpretation as per request to immigration clients, government agencies and local embassies worldwide. GTL offers consultation for immigration ensuring the selection of the most appropriate family members for verification with accuracy. This testing involves testing for either paternity or maternity and DNA relationship test is carried out to identify a genetic relationship with a family member other than the father and mother such as an aunt or uncle. GTL can be contacted through a tool free telephone from anywhere in the world and the cost is $550 for most of the embassy locations plus international shipping charges for the delivery of the test report.

DNA Testing Center, Inc.

This center offers immigration DNA testing services strictly adhering to the US Consulates immigration requirements. Clients are assigned quick appointments and fast results within 3 to 5 business days. This testing is performed by an AABB accredited laboratory. They utilize the worldwide sample collection sites. The sample collection kits are shipped the same day of receiving the order. Once you have completed the order form online, a case manager will contact you to discuss your situation and will schedule your test. Details can be had calling their toll free number from within and outside the USA or by email to immigration@DNATestingCentre.com.

Genelex

Genelex specializes in testing for establishing citizenship rights and offers Immigration DNA testing services. They have a decade of experience in resolving complex international cases. The records are kept indefinitely for future testimony and documentation. Multiple options for immigration testing such as kinship, new born, deceased and motherless etc. are available.

The INS and the Department of Human Services accept Immigration DNA Testing as proof of a person’s ethnicity or relationship to a citizen. This testing is performed by accredited labs collecting samples from embassy locations worldwide.

HPV DNA Test

HPV is a group of viruses that consists of about 100 related viruses that is identified by skin warts and genital warts. HPV infections are benign and short lived and are common except a few such as HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-31 and HPV-45, which are considered to be high risk. The high-risk types of humanpillomavirus, HPV can cause the cancer of cervical, anal, and penile and many other forms of cancer. Conventionally a Pap smear test is used to detect cancer of the cervix, the lower part of the uterus. The cervical cells are evaluated under the microscope. But Pap smear does not clearly indicate if the HPV infection is high risk or low risk. HPV DNA test serves as a valuable tool to detect cervical cancer.

The scenario

Nearly 20 percent of the US sexually active US population is believed to be infected with HPV virus at some point in time. Some of the women may develop a persistent infection that will eventually lead to pre-cancerous changes in the cervical cells. In this scenario, a new HPV DNA test has emerged that indicates evidence of high-risk types of humanpapillomavirus has gained widespread acceptance as an extra tool for detecting cervical cancer. The sample is the same as that used in Pap smear test to confirm the presence of high-risk types of HPV. The HPV DNA test looks for 13 of the most dreaded HPV but fails to differentiae between them. Another test is required to determine exactly which types of HPV are present.

Sample Collection

The cell samples are collected from the cervical area of females, as a part of the pelvic examination by the physician. A type of wooden spatula is used to collect the cells from the cervical area and kept in a liquid preservative specially meant for the purpose. For HPV test on males, an anal swab or brush specimen is collected and used.

FDA Approval

FDA has approved this test to be used for screening of women for HPV infection in conjunction with Pap smear test. Knowing if a woman is infected with HPV or not will help doctors detect and treat the early cell changes that are indicative of cervical cancer.

HPV is a type of a group of viruses that can cause cervical cancer in women. The HPV DNA test can detect the high-risk virus and can help in the prevention cervical cancer.

How Accurate Is DNA Testing

If we are to go into the question of how accurate is DNA testing then it can be said that DNA tests are the most reliable and accurate analysis to establish parentage and genetic background. Stringent norms are set forth for the testing by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and ISO and DNA testing by only laboratories accredited by these organizations is legally accepted. Again if we are to ponder how accurate is DNA testing, it yield results of 99.99 specificity or even greater.

Paternity and Maternity DNA testing Accuracy

If the patterns between father and child fail to match on more than three genetic markers, the alleged father is excluded meaning that he is not the biological father of the child. This result bears 100 percent certainty and indicates how accurate DNA testing is.

No test can prove that parentage of the father or mother of a child with 100 percent certainty. When the patterns between mother, father and child match on the DNA markers the paternity probability is calculated using the general population of its ethnic group. The testing with 99.9 percent accuracy is accepted in US courts as proof that the alleged father is the biological father of the child.

Forensic DNA testing

This testing has gained acceptance in court rooms since the late eighties. This test as evidence created a landmark in the famous 1995 trial of O.J. Simpson proving that the accused was not the murderer. Several such wrongly convicted people have been released using the DNA tests as proof. Being the most accurate form of scientific evidence this testing is accurate to a millionth of a percent, the legal system can easily establish the identity of the right criminals and save the society.

Genelex

The tests conducted at Genelex are claimed to be 100 percent more discriminating above the industry standard. The average of positive results of DNA testing often exceeds 99.99 percent. Most labs test only 8 to 10 genetic markers whereas Genelex tests 16 markers ensuring the most reliable results. They also run all of the exclusions twice for confirming 100 percent exclusion which by itself shows how accurate DNA testing is. They provide affidavits, testimony and depositions in the court. The courts have been accepting their results consistently in court and by child support and Immigration agencies after extensive scrutiny.

DNA testing that provides results of exclusion are mostly 100 percent certain that the alleged father of a child is not the biological father. The US courts accept the testing with 99.9 percent as evidence to prove or disprove a person’s identity and prove how accurate DNA testing is.

Home DNA Test Kits

Home DNA kits are used to collect DNA samples at home for testing in the laboratories. These kits have enough supplies to collect samples from three participants. The process of specimen collection using these Test kits is simple and painless. The collection process involves collecting a swab from the cheek of the participant. Most of the testing services have nationwide sample collection centers. The tests results are accepted in the courts as proof of a person’s claim to his ancestral heritage. The benefits of this test are many such as in divorce, child custody and entitlement to economic benefits for people of Native American origin.

GeneTree

GeneTree offers free GeneSwab specimen collection kits and their testing is accurate, affordable and convenient. These test kits contain easy to follow instructions to collect samples. Genetree assures complete privacy and confidentiality. The test results are high quality at competitive prices and obtained within 3 to 9 days.

Swift Response

Swift Response is a testing service helps in resolving genetic issues by providing individuals with easy and reliable Home DNA testing kits. These Test kits can be used in the convenience of your home to collect buccal swab sample for testing. Testing is performed by accredited laboratory strictly adhering to the standards set by the Parentage Committee of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). Their test result offers peace of mind but no guarantee of court acceptance though they have found court acceptance in many instances.

DNA Security

The test kits from DNA Security revolutionized the testing industry in 1998. The testing is done in their state-of- the -art laboratory that ensures 99.99% accuracy of results for all paternity tests. The accurate and confidential results are made available in 3 to 5 days. The Home DNA Test kits can be used for paternity testing, sibling testing, motherless paternity testing, twin testing and for grandparent testing. The results are vital in cases of child support or child custody, adoption, identity and immigration. These kits allow collection of samples up to 3 specimens.

The DNA testing kits are used to collect specimen in the convenience and privacy of one’s home. The testing services provide confidential and accurate services that are legally accepted.

Geneaology DNA Test

The Genealogy DNA test traces the heredity of a person to his ancestors. This test also helps in ascertaining who the ancestors are, where they belong and how they moved or migrated from their origins to different parts of the world. Research shows that a person’s heredity can be traced back to an ancestor who lived in Africa between 50,000 to 200,000 years ago. These people (ancestors) migrated from Africa and lived and settled in different parts of the world. As they moved to different continents and regions little changes took place in their DNA structure, which are also known as mutations.

Labs specializing in Genealogy

Genealogy DNA test is offered by specialized laboratories such as Genebase, Family Tree DNA, etc.

Genebase

Genebase allows customers to order a participation kit and receive it via mail. The kit would contain four swabs, needs to be rubbed inside of one’s cheek for half a minute. The sample swab then would be mailed back to the laboratory, and later the laboratory does the test and sends the results. Once the customer receives the results, he also receives a certificate outlining the ancestral markets and his predicted haplogroup, which depicts his ancestral origins. Further, as part of the DNA Ancestry Project, the customer would be shown as to where is ancestors originally lived, their race, and how they migrated. The genealogy DNA test also enables customers to look for their long-lost family lines or to check if they descended from famous lines.

Family Tree DNA

Family Tree DNA, established in April 2000 is a leader in genetic genealogy by continuous research and development. If a customer is in search of a lost relative, this test gets clues from the DNA left by ancestors, and compares it with results in the database, which can unlock a wealth of information about a person’s origin. There are broadly two types of DNA namely, Y-DNA and mtDNA. A test of the Y-DNA can reveal the origin of a person’s paternal line, with no effect of any females, whereas a test of Mt. DNA can reveal the origin of maternal line, without any influence of any males along the line.

Genealogy DNA test helps in tracking a person’s ancestry and its true origins. Using DNA clues left by ancestors this application helps in finding out who the ancestors were, where they belong and how they migrated to different places.