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Definition of DNA Paternity Testing

You see it all over the place--movies, television and, most of all, day-time talk shows. But what is a DNA paternity test, and how is it used within the legal system?

  1. DNA

    • DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid. It's a nucleic acid that is found in every cell of every living creature (and even in some viruses). In simple terms, scientists can interpret DNA into a set of numbers that define individuals. The most common analogy is that DNA is our "blueprint." Human DNA is about 99 percent similar in everyone, yet the small differences in each of us are enough to clearly identify each person.

    Parental Test

    • Related people share such similarities in their DNA that tests can determine who is related to one another and who is not. This is why DNA parental tests recently have been the most relied upon method to prove the relationship between individuals. A child's DNA makeup will consist of half of his mother's DNA and half of his father's. Therefore, a sample from all three individuals is needed for an accurate test result.

    Accuracy

    • In 1985, at the University of Leicester in England, Sir Alec Jeffreys developed a DNA profiling technique that proved whether a person is the father or mother of a child with such accuracy that DNA tests are now admissible in court as proof of paternity or maternity.
      A DNA test will show that there is either a 0 percent chance that the person in question is the parent of a child or that there is a higher than 99.9 percent chance that he is the parent.

    The Law

    • DNA tests are primarily used to prove paternity. It is a vital test in cases of child support and is also used for immigration purposes, inheritance, adoption and many other instances in which proof of paternity is in question. Though it is not as common, there is also a use for DNA testing when maternity is not clear. This is a valuable tool for an adopted child who is seeking her biological mother, children switched at birth and cases in which in vitro fertilization was used.

    Home Testing

    • Home DNA testing is available, but it is not admissible in court. For results to be admissible in a U.S. court, all participating parties must consent to the test and the tests must be done by an accredited tester.
      For personal knowledge, a home DNA test can be used with a high degree of accuracy.

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