Turnaround Time

• 1-2 business days from receipt of all samples

NOTE: 1 business day is express service which carries an additional fee.

Chain-of-Custody Requirements

Chain-of-custody requirements must be fulfilled for test results to be defensible in any legal situation. These requirements include the following:

• Samples are collected by a neutral third party, such as High 5 Fingerprinting, with no interest in the outcome of the results
• The individuals tested are positively identified (i.e., they present a government-issued ID to be photocopied and/or they are photographed)
• A standard DNA kit is used
• Each party completes and signs a Client Identification and Consent Form
• Guardianship of tested minor must be verified at the time of signing consent
• The kit may not be in the possession of the clients prior to or after being collected

Non-Chain-of-Custody Requirements

In a non-chain of custody test, samples can be collected by the patients themselves or assisted at a collection site (High 5 Fingerprinting). Results of this test are for personal knowledge only and may not be used for legal purposes.

• An in-home kit is used, and buccal samples may be collected by the patients themselves or assisted at collection site
• Since the origin of the samples cannot be verified, names are listed on the report in the same way they are labeled on the samples
• A unique barcode is assigned to each kit and appears on the report as a reference for the case

Notes

• The mother’s participation is encouraged because we can identify the DNA she passed along to the child, with the remaining DNA to be contributed by the biological father.  The average Combined Paternity Index (CPI) of a trio is 1 million, while the average CPI of a motherless case is only 10,000.
• A trio paternity test provides the strongest case for use in the courts, where the mother’s involvement is preferred and sometimes required.