DNA Testing Law and Legal Definition
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the genetic blueprint that determines a person's biological characteristics. DNA is located in the cell of the human body. One reason for DNA testing is to determine the paternity of a child. Upon conception, a child inherits one half of its DNA from its mother and one half from its father. This unique combination of DNA will match that of the biological parents of the child. When a child's DNA does not match that of the alleged father, he is excluded 100% as the biological father of the child. However, a DNA test can prove a probability of 99% or greater for paternity.
DNA testing is also gaining in popularity as a method of solving crimes. The way DNA evidence is collected, preserved, and tested is critical to the success of its use in criminal cases. Some criminal convictions have been reversed by DNA evidence which proved the convicted person was not the perpetrator.
