Many people trying to establish paternity of a baby don't have a good idea of where to start. It's something that most people simply aren't too familiar with. Unfortunately, there are some pretty common myths about paternity tests that a lot of people believe. Here's a look at three of the most common misconceptions that people have about paternity testing, and how buying in to these myths could cause legal headaches.

Paternity Can Only Be Determined After Birth For years, the standard was that a child's father could only be legally determined after birth. But thanks to technological advances, prenatal paternity tests are actually fairly common now. The most common prenatal birth test is called the Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity test, or NIPP. It's widely considered to be the most accurate and reliable prenatal test, and analyzes the baby's DNA that is naturally formed in the mother's bloodstream. A NIPP test can be performed as early as the 8th week of pregnancy, and does require a blood sample from the potential father.

The Cheaper Tests Are All The Same Many places advertise paternity testing for prices as low as $79, but be sure that the lab you're using tests per industry standards. A test that doesn't meet certain scientific protocols could actually be inadmissible in court. In most cases, buying a kit at home, taking a specimen on your own, and sending it off through the mail for analysis doesn't meet legal requirements.

Paternity Tests Can't Be Done If The Father Isn't Around or Is Unwilling to Take A Test At first glance it would seem like the absence of a father would make paternity testing pretty difficult. But there are actually things that can be done. In a lot of cases, a grandparentage test can be done. This is a DNA test that uses the DNA of the paternal father's parents to see if a child is biologically related. This test essentially just determines if a baby is a descendant of the tested (potential) grandparent.

If you're in a situation where you need a paternity test, your best option is going to be to find the services of a trusted lawyer first - one that specializes in family law. A family law attorney has likely seen scenarios just like yours before, knows exactly what the law is going to require, and knows how to navigate things most efficiently. When you invest in a family law attorney or firm like Haslam & Perri LLP for your paternity case, you're making sure your case goes as smoothly as possible!