Legal Paternity Testing

When you need legal, court-admissible DNA proof of a paternal relationship.

Why a legal paternity test?

If you need a legal paternity test for any reason, DDC can help. Many clients use our legal paternity test results to settle matters of family law, such as child support, custody, and visitation disputes. A legal paternity DNA test can also resolve inheritance disputes and satisfy immigration requirements where DNA evidence is needed for identification.
DDC has been accredited by the Ministry of Justice to carry out parentage tests directed by the civil courts in England and Wales under section 20 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969. Our laboratory also has international certifications from ACLASS Accreditation Services (ISO/IEC 17025) and ANAB. The chain of custody ensures:

  • The samples were collected by a neutral third party, such as a doctor, nurse, or DDC collector
  • The tested parties were appropriately identified at the time of sample collection
  • The samples were sealed with tamper tape at the collection appointment and posted to the laboratory where they were thoroughly inspected for tampering

Contact our experts today for a free consultation.

 

GUARANTEE:

DDC will meet or beat the price of any other Ministry of Justice-Approved laboratory.

GUARANTEE:

DDC will meet or beat the price of any other lab's MOJ-directed DNA test.

The DDC Promise

FREE Consultation

We will determine the right test for you.

PhD-Reviewed Results

Our in-house team ensures accuracy.

Team Support

We keep you informed every step of the way.

When it is time to go to court, you will be ready.

DDC performs thousands of accredited legal paternity tests a year accepted by courts worldwide, and our experts are ready to help you, too—it is fast, private, and accurate.

For a quote, call our experts. 

Legal Paternity Testing: How It Works

Our team works with you to identify the most convenient place to have your samples collected. This may be at a DNA-collection clinic near your home, at our offices, or we may send a nurse to your home at a time convenient for you. A legal paternity test requires that all parties have their DNA samples collected by an official collector. We have the largest network of sample-collectors in the world, and thousands of locations from which to choose.

CHAIN-OF-CUSTODY HANDLING: Once collected, DNA samples are sent securely in tamper-proof packaging to our accredited laboratory where DNA testing takes place.
THE TESTING PROCESS: Our laboratory technicians carefully handle and prepare your DNA samples for processing. Every paternity test with cheek-swab samples is run twice, each time by an independent team. The results are then reviewed by our in-house team of PhDs and your report is prepared.
YOUR RESULTS: As soon as the results are verified, immediate and secure online access to the report is available for the decision-maker in the case, and a legal document that is admissible in a court of law is  posted to all tested parties.
Results are completely confidential, and your private genetic information is never shared with or sold to outside parties.

See our privacy policy here.

For a no-obligation, FREE consultation, call: 0800 009 2969

More about this Test

Q: What is the difference between a legal paternity test and a home paternity test?
A: The main difference between a legal paternity test and a home paternity test is how the results report can be used: results from a legal paternity test are court-admissible while results from a home paternity test are not. Courts accept results for a legal test because a chain-of-custody process with witnessed DNA collection is followed, which ensures the correct DNA has been submitted for testing.
Q: Where do we go to get DNA collected for a legal paternity test?

A: DNA is collected for a legal paternity test at an approved facility near you. DDC works with thousands of approved providers across the U.S.A and around the world, including clinics and hospitals. When you order your test, we direct you where to make an appointment at a time and place most convenient for each tested party. Participants in the test can have their DNA collected at different times and/or in separate locations.

Q: Does getting a legal paternity test change the birth certificate?

A: Getting a legal paternity test done does not in itself change the birth certificate, but the legal proof of paternity provided by this test may be used to request a change with the proper authority where you live.

Q: Do all courts accept results from a legal paternity test?
A: Not all courts accept results from a legal paternity test—whether or not a report is accepted as proof of paternity is up to each individual judge. However, when a court accepts results from a DNA test as proof of paternity, that test must be a legal one and not a home one.
Q: Does the mother need to be included in a paternity test?

A: In most cases, a mother’s DNA is not necessary to obtain conclusive results for a paternity test. However, there are occasions when her DNA is helpful in strengthening results, and the lab will suspend testing and request a sample from the mother. If possible, it is best for the mother to submit her sample upfront to prevent delays if her DNA turns out to be needed.