Accurate, Affordable DNA Testing in Southgate, MI – Legal & At‑Home Options

You can test at GameDay DNA collection sites or use an at‑home cheek‑swab kit for private peace of mind. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services explains that either parent can contact the Office of Child Support to request DNA paternity testing, and that a child‑support worker will arrange testing with a contracted laboratory and receive the final report, as described in the state’s DNA – Paternity Testing Questions and Answers (DHS Pub. 865). Local child‑support and court resources, such as Michigan Legal Help’s guide on how to file a motion to determine that a child was born out of wedlock, outline how parents can start a case in court if they need an order involving paternity and support.

Michigan’s Paternity Act, MCL 722.711–722.730, allows paternity to be established through a court action that uses genetic testing when paternity is in dispute. Benchbook materials on Genetic Fathers and the Revocation of Parentage Act explain that when a paternity case is filed, the court may order the mother, alleged father, and child to undergo genetic paternity testing under MCL 722.714 and MCL 722.716, and that if testing identifies a man as the child’s genetic father, the court can enter an order of filiation establishing him as the legal father. MDHHS’s DNA – Paternity Testing Q&A further notes that under MCL 722.716, if DNA test results show a man is not excluded as the father and meet the statutory probability thresholds, he is presumed to be the father and the court can use the results to decide paternity and child support.

Most legal paternity tests in Michigan use buccal‑swab (cheek‑swab) samples from the mother, alleged father, and child, which are painless and provide the same DNA information as blood. The MDHHS pamphlet on DNA Paternity Testing explains that testing is done after the baby is born by rubbing a cotton‑tipped swab on the inside of each person’s cheek and sending all three samples to a lab for comparison. Hospital‑based programs, such as the University of Michigan’s MLabs paternity testing, likewise describe cheek‑swab collection as the standard method for parentage testing, with specimens processed under strict chain‑of‑custody when legal results are needed.

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, allow the swabs to air‑dry, and seal them in the labeled envelopes before mailing them back to the lab. General consumer guidance on DNA testing, such as national FAQs used by Michigan parents and courts, emphasizes avoiding food, drink, or smoking for at least 30 minutes before swabbing so the sample is clean and uncontaminated. Michigan county child‑support FAQs, like Eaton County’s answer to “Can the parents do private DNA testing?,” explain that private or at‑home DNA results can help families make personal decisions but that court and child‑support cases usually require testing arranged through the prosecutor’s office or MDHHS so samples are collected under chain‑of‑custody and results are admissible.

GameDay DNA provides results by secure online portal or encrypted email, with printed reports available for legal testing when requested. According to MDHHS’s DNA – Paternity Testing Q&A, when testing is requested through the Office of Child Support, a child‑support worker arranges the lab appointment, and the contracted lab sends results back to the agency; most results are available within about two weeks and are then used to move the case forward toward a paternity and support order. Michigan court benchbooks on genetic fathers note that once genetic testing establishes paternity, the court enters an order of filiation and related custody or support orders, which formally document the outcome.

Yes—DNA paternity test results that meet Michigan’s statutory standards are widely used in Michigan courts. MDHHS’s DNA – Paternity Testing Q&A states that genetic test results are used in courts throughout the United States and that, under MCL 722.716, paternity is presumed when DNA test results reach the required probability level, while exclusionary results (showing a man is not the father) are typically greater than 99.9% accurate. Michigan’s Paternity Act, summarized on Justia’s compilation of Act 205 of 1956 – The Paternity Act, confirms that courts may order genetic testing, use the results to enter an order of filiation, and rely on those results when deciding child support and related issues.

Under Michigan’s Paternity Act, a paternity action can be filed by the child’s mother, the alleged father, or the child acting through a guardian or legal representative. Legal Clarity’s Michigan paternity laws guide explains that once a case is filed, the court can order genetic testing to establish biological ties, and that the results are generally considered conclusive evidence when the probability of paternity is 99% or higher. Michigan Legal Help’s resources, including the step‑by‑step guide on filing a motion related to a child born out of wedlock, give practical instructions for parents who want to ask the court to establish paternity, change an existing order, or address custody and parenting time based on DNA results.

Yes—Michigan allows genetic testing using stored samples or relatives in certain situations when a parent is deceased or cannot be tested directly. MDHHS’s DNA – Paternity Testing Q&A notes that if either parent is deceased, paternity testing can sometimes be completed using a blood or tissue sample from the coroner’s office or by testing appropriate family members. Michigan court benchbook guidance on Genetic Fathers and the Revocation of Parentage Act explains that when genetic testing identifies a man as the biological father under the Genetic Parentage Act, those results can be the basis for court‑ordered child support, custody, or parenting time without further adjudication, even in complex fact patterns addressed by the statute.