How do I set up a paternity test with your laboratory?
Just e-mail us at parentage@marshall.edu or call 1-(888)-DNA-CODE or1-(304)-690-4361 and a customer service representative will assist you.

What kinds of samples are tested?
Samples are taken from inside the cheek. This is called a “Buccal Swab.” This is a non-invasive procedure and takes only a few minutes.

Is the Buccal Swab test as accurate as a blood test?
Yes. The DNA found on a buccal swab is the same as in your blood.

How long will it take to obtain results?
Results are commonly available in ten (10) business days.

Who needs to be tested?
In most cases, a sample is collected from the mother, child, and alleged father. However, we do provide single parent tests and testing of multiple children or alleged fathers.

What do I need to take to the sample collection appointment?
A government picture ID (driver’s license photo, for example) for mother and alleged father; birth certificate for child; a court order of custody or guardianship, if needed; and collection payment, generally between $20 -$45 per person tested.

What will the collection site do?
The collection site, which is usually another paternity testing laboratory or doctor’s office, you will be asked to read, sign, and thumbprint a consent form, photocopy your picture ID, and then use a buccal swab to gather cells from your cheek. The entire process will take approximately 30–45 minutes. You will be required to pay for the collection services.

Will results be confidential?
Absolutely. Results will be released to the persons tested or their legal representatives. The only instance when results are to be shown to a third party is by mandate of a court order.

Will the results be admissible in court?
Yes. Each individual being tested and his/her results are carefully documented for admissibility in court. If necessary, we offer expert witness testimony.

Can accurate paternity testing be done without testing the mother?
Yes. If the mother is not available, the child and the alleged father can be tested to determine paternity.

Where do I need to go to have my DNA sample collected?
Our customer service representatives will assist you in setting up a convenient appointment to have your samples collected at a collection site near you.

Buccal Swab: A buccal swab is a cotton or other material-tipped device used to collect buccal cell samples from inside an individual’s mouth, particularly the cheek, where blood samples cannot be or are not taken, or as an alternative method to obtaining a blood sample. (1) In parentage testing, buccal swab collections are now the standard method of obtaining DNA.

Consent Form: A form signed by a participant acknowledging they understand why the sample is being taken and what it will be used for and giving authorization to the laboratory to test the sample.

Court Admissible:  Acceptable / allowable in court.  Court admissible testing is often required in paternity testing, so a laboratory must have procedures in place, which follow the chain of custody of a DNA sample from collection through sample analysis.

Expert Witness: Generally, an expert witness is a person who testifies about a scientific or technical matter, which requires special training or knowledge that is not within the common knowledge of the layperson.  The qualification of a person as an expert witness is a matter for determination by the trial court and not by a jury. (1)

Forensic Paternity: Paternity cases that aid law enforcement, such as a sexual assault resulting in a pregnancy.  

Genes:  Genes are segments of DNA.  They are the functional and physical units of heredity that are passed from parent to child.  Generally a gene is responsible for a particular function.  Most genes contain the information for making a specific protein. (1)

Genetic Profile - The identification of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from biological samples.  The term “Genetic Profile” is often called a “DNA Fingerprint.”

ISO/IEC 17025 – The International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Commission provide laboratory accreditation using criteria and procedures specifically developed to determine technical competence to assure customers that the test, calibration or measurement data provided by the laboratory are accurate and reliable. 

Parentage Testing: A comparison of the DNA from different individuals to their relatedness.  Parentage testing can be to establish paternity and other lineage relationships, such as siblings.

Standard DNA Test (Trio):  A parentage test with Mother, Child, and the Alleged Father all participating.