Paternity DNA tests have become an important and useful tool for family research today.
The fundamental reason paternity tests exist is because children, every single one, has the right to know their fathers just as they have the right to know their mother.
But figuring out who the father is can be a bit more challenging!
In many court cases, when two parents sue for custody, paternity must be established.
This isn’t difficult to do, because if the father has not been established the court can order a paternity DNA test.
When this is carried out, it will establish paternity with a high degree of accuracy. But most court-ordered paternity tests are expensive and performed in labs.
More recently, a new breed of at-home paternity test kits has come onto the market. These offer anonymity and convenience, and cost less than court-ordered lab tests.
But how much can you trust the reliability of a home paternity test?
Reliability of Home DNA Tests
A home DNA paternity test can be as accurate as a test conducted by a professional DNA test lab; however, there are a few known issues.
For example, there have been cases when one parent or the court has misinterpreted the results of the test.
There have also been false test results which of course can be really problematic.
Every Court Is Different
Anyone can conduct a paternity DNA test as long as the person has the consent of all parties involved; however, if the test is to be used in court, then you must find out whether or not the specific test is suitable for the court.
Every court has its own rules and regulations over home test kits, so before taking a test and submitting it to the court; you might want to be sure its suitable. You don’t want to waste money on the kit only to find it invalid.
Test Instructions Must Be Followed To The Letter
If you want true, accurate and reliable results, then you absolutely must follow all directions from the test.
For anyone conducting the test, they need to follow all of the rules and the guides that come with the test. If you don’t, there is a chance the results won’t be accurate or true.
This is why a lot of people aren’t really too sure about home DNA test kits because they think they won’t be accurate. However, false results are usually only given when the kit hasn’t been used correctly.
Should A Home Paternity Test Be Used?
In all honesty, there is a huge divided opinion over the use of home paternity test kits.
It all really depends on whether the kits are suitable for court cases and whether the parents are. A lot of people still call into question the accuracy and reliability of the tests however, many practitioners believe are accurate.
Another Way To Get Answers
The most important point to remember is that everyone should get the answers they want, whether or not a court mandates it. In non-court situations, a home paternity test makes a lot of sense.
Children as well as the parents deserve to know the truth about paternity and you must use the very best paternity tests whether it’s conducted by the doctor or with a home kit.
A home DNA test is one of the most important ways for questioning families to establish paternity, whether or not a court is involved.
