One would think because of proximity (closeness), that a simple trip across the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel, the Holland Tunnel, or the Goethals Bridge and you could get a Private Paternity Test.

In the State of New Jersey, you can get a DNA  Test done for private reasons, without a lawyer, doctor or any other official.  Call your local DNA collector, set up your appointment and you can receive a Court Admissible document and/or Find Out First Paternity Test.  In the State of New York, however, there are antiquated (outdated) laws still on the books that regulate DNA testing.  The New York State Department of  Health (NYSDOH) regulates DNA Testing - whether for a diagnostic (medical) purpose or for a simple Paternity test.  So if your identification indicates you are a resident of New York State (from Albany down to Brooklyn), then you are required to have a prescription and proper government issued identification to obtain a Legal DNA Test. 

If you want to have a Paternity Test done this holiday season, and you only have New York identification, call your primary care physician as soon as possible and ask for a written doctor's prescription stating the names of the DNA test participants - usually child, mother and alleged father - and, very important - have your primary care physician clearly state - that it is OK for the lab to release results to you - the patient. It is also no necessary to test the mother of a child to confirm paternity of a child.  If your doctor is unfamiliar with the NYSDOH regulation, we will be happy to call your doctor with information. Please be able to provide us with your doctor's name and phone number and the names of the participants in the DNA test.

On the other hand, non-NY residents, that is resident of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and virtually every other State,  have the ability to obtain a DNA Paternity test with just one phone call.  The DNA Lady can set your appointment in one of our convenient collection sites across the Tri-State Area or across the United States - usually on a day's notice.  Newark DNA Tests - done conveniently Monday through Saturday - right near the court house.  Trenton DNA Tests - done conveniently in a private office - parking in front- major transportation within two blocks.

From DNA Testing in Paterson - to DNA Testing in Flemington - call The DNA Lady and she will set you up immediately. We understand that Paternity Tests are still a private matter - only the legal guardian of minor children need to provide identification to allow us to perform the non-invasive (no needles) DNA Test.  New mothers need not be standing in line in a court house, holding baby and essentials, waiting for her turn to have a DNA test performed.  Our Find Out First Paternity Tests take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

For residents of Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern Connecticut - mobile DNA Testing is your best bet.  A mobile DNA Collector will come to your private home, ask you to provide photocopies of your identification, perform a non-invasive DNA collection (no needles) and 3 days later call you and email you with results and then follow the call/email up with a hard copy.  PA and CT DNA Tests - are also not regulated by the Health Departments and can be done on a Court Admissible Basis (in case you later on decide to use test as evidence in Court) or on a Find out First Private paternity test basis. 

You will receive a copy of the DNA Tests, including the genetic markers tested that determined with 99% assurance that you are the biological father of the child or not.  A  DNA Test is very easy to understand - if you are the biological father of the child the results will read greater than 99% Probability of Paternity - if you are not the biological father of the child - the result will read 0% Probability of Paternity  All DNA Testing companies use the same genetic markers to determine human relatedness - if you have taken a test with another lab and want to double check the test results - have one person's DNA profile done (half the price of a DNA test) and match those genetic markers to one of the participants in the original DNA Test.

If you are entitled to Social Security benefits, or your children are entitled to Social Security benefits and you require proof of Paternity, Maternity, Grand Paternity or siblingship, Examen de ADN can be performed and is accepted as proof.  Below is the new Social Security website in spanish.

Often times, a U.S. government office will request a parent or guardian to provide legal documentation of a biological relationship in order to establish eligibility for benefits.  Families that have been moving around, documents not in English, documents not updated may need assistance in providing paternidad, maternidad or other biological relationships.   Today, there is a population probably entitled to benefits but have been unable to communicate or effectively understand eligibility so the Social Security Administration put together a Spanish site.  Use the below link, to determine your eligibility.  If Examen de ADN is necessary please call your local DNA collector for details.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/espanol/

The following is an excerpt from an Australian news article, that prompted me to think - how many men would go running to their nearest local DNA Lady collection center, if they thought there was a possible refund?  The cost of the local DNA Lady's test, could not possibly equal the refund, if the child happens to not be yours.

Quote:

A woman has been ordered to pay back $13,000 in child support payments after DNA tests confirmed he was not the father of her 14 year old son. 

UNQUOTE

The "alleged" father took the child in for a DNA test, because the paternal grand mother continued to make observations that the child did not look like anyone else in their family.  Prompted by memories of a compromising position the man came upon with his wife and a neighbor years ago, he decided to find out for himself.

After confirmation from an accredited DNA collection facility, the man then returned to the equivalent of family court in Australia and asked that his child support payments be stopped.  The magistrate was so discouraged and outraged by the mother's fraudulent claims of paternity, that not only did he stop further child support payments, he demanded that the mother repay this man all monies he paid over the years, after a bitter divorce.

Some would bet any amount of money, that the aunts and grandmothers on both sides of this family recognized long ago that this child was not fathered by this man but there had already been enough conflict through the divorce, that no one wanted to create any more problems or be considered a "budinsky".

Now, 14 years later, who is the real victim in these situation - THE CHILD.  There is no greater bond than that between a father and child - now how do the ADULTS explain to this child what they have done?  How do you tell a 14 year old boy, who has played catch with his dad, gone to cricket or other sporting events with his dad and who relished every minute of the child visitation time w ith his dad - that this is not his dad.  Hopefully, a proper child psychologist will be brought to handle the situation and done so on an age appropriate level.

Does this remind you of anyone in  your family?  Have their been family rumours about a child in  your gatherings that no one is bothering to confront?  The longer the myth persists the harder it will be to reveal the truth to the child, the family and to everyone else involved. Most men in this situation react with true hurt - they do no want to give up the relationship with the child - but know that every child has the right to know who their biological parents are irrespective of the relationship between parents.

Today, more and more men, are taking children in for Paternity Tests.  Although having the mother included in the test provides a  more conclusive result, it is not necessary to have the mother tested, to confirm Paternity.  DNA Tests are non-invasive, a simple cheek swab is all that is needed to create a DNA profile. 

If it meant that you would be repaid child support payments made over the last XXX number of years - would you take your child in for a Paternity Test?  Would confirming/denying Paternity relieve you of the doubt you have carried for this time or would confirming/denying Paternity hurt you to your very core.  The MOPO effect we see on TV is not what the real men are doing in these circumstances.  Real men are hurt, their families(grand mothers, aunts, uncles) are disrupted, they are emotionally scarred by careless women, who either can't count or didn't listen during biology classes, or perhaps saw a bigger jackpot by naming the wrong father.

The moral of the story is Find Out First - get a Private Paternity Test(PPT) and remove lingering doubts and family whispers.  Everyone in the long run, will benefit by knowing the truth from the beginning.