DNA Testing in Merrillville, IN

You can test at GameDay DNA collection sites or use an at‑home cheek‑swab kit for private peace of mind. For court or child‑support cases, many families work with their county Child Support office or the Department of Child Services (DCS); DCS’s paternity page explains that at a paternity hearing the parties may agree to paternity, request genetic testing, or have the court decide, and that either parent or the county child support office may request genetic testing, while Indiana Legal Services’ paternity guide notes that courts can order DNA testing if there are concerns about whether the man is the father.

Indiana law requires courts to order genetic testing when a party in a paternity action asks for it. The blood or genetic‑testing statute Indiana Code § 31‑14‑6‑1 provides that, upon the motion of any party, the court shall order all parties to undergo blood or genetic testing performed by a qualified expert, and the presumption statute § 31‑14‑7‑1 states that if a man undergoes a genetic test that indicates with at least a 99% probability that he is the child’s biological father, a rebuttable presumption of paternity arises—summarized in the Kids’ Voice of Indiana overview of Indiana paternity establishment law.

Most legal paternity tests in Indiana use buccal‑swab (cheek‑swab) DNA samples from the child and the alleged father, and often from the mother. Indiana family‑law guides such as How to Establish Paternity in Indiana and How is DNA testing used in Indiana paternity cases? (discussing multistate practice) describe genetic testing as a simple process where DNA samples are collected by swabbing the inside of each person’s mouth, and DCS policy Section 5: Genetic Testing for Alleged Fathers explains that DCS contracts with a designated vendor to process tests and that the child’s mother and each alleged father are asked to voluntarily submit to genetic testing before the agency seeks a court order.

For at‑home kits, use the sterile swabs in your kit, rub firmly along the inside of each cheek for the full time listed in the instructions, let the swabs air‑dry, and seal them in labeled envelopes before mailing. Indiana Legal Services’ paternity information notes that DNA testing is commonly used to determine whether a man is the child’s father and that either parent, the court, or the county child support office can request testing when paternity is disputed, while firm guides like How to Establish Paternity in Indiana emphasize that home tests are not enough for court—only tests performed by approved providers under chain‑of‑custody procedures will be accepted as legal evidence.

GameDay DNA provides results by secure online portal or encrypted email, with printed reports available for legal tests. In DCS or Title IV‑D cases, DCS policy Section 5: Genetic Testing for Alleged Fathers states that DCS will facilitate genetic testing, receive results from its contracted vendor, and send them to the DCS staff attorney to pursue the appropriate next steps; in child‑support cases, the Child Support Bureau policy on genetic testing explains that CSB pays for genetic testing when the Title IV‑D prosecutor uses an approved vendor and submits required forms, and that the results are then used to enter or modify paternity and support orders, with parents notified through court or agency documents.

Yes—Indiana statutes give properly conducted genetic tests strong evidentiary weight. The presumption statute § 31‑14‑7‑1 provides that a presumption of paternity exists if a genetic test indicates at least a 99% probability that the man is the child’s biological father, and Social Security’s summary of Indiana law confirms that such test results establish a presumption of paternity that can be rebutted only by clear and convincing evidence; the Kids’ Voice of Indiana paper on paternity establishment law also notes that exclusionary test results will generally prevent a man from being adjudicated the father.

Either parent, the child (through a representative), or the state (through the prosecutor or DCS/Child Support) may be involved in establishing paternity. Indiana Legal Services’ paternity guide explains that paternity can be established by signing a paternity affidavit or by filing a court case in which the mother, alleged father, or prosecutor’s office asks the court to determine paternity, while case summaries in the Kids’ Voice paper on Indiana Paternity Establishment Law show that prosecutors often file paternity actions in the child’s name when public assistance is involved and that “any party” to such an action may petition for genetic testing under § 31‑14‑6‑1.

In special situations—such as when an alleged father is deceased, an identical twin is involved, or the legal father differs from the biological father—Indiana courts may still rely on genetic evidence and existing affidavits. The presumption statute § 31‑14‑7‑1 and Social Security’s analysis of Indiana intestacy law stress that a 99%‑or‑greater probability test result creates a presumption of paternity, but Kids’ Voice case summaries describe situations where an identical twin also tested above 99% and courts had to weigh additional evidence, and where prior paternity affidavits or orders did not bar a later action by the true biological father—illustrating that Indiana courts may consider genetic tests, prior acknowledgments, and best‑interest factors together when resolving complex or post‑death paternity questions.