DNA Testing in Billings, Montana
Health Street provides DNA tests and legal paternity testing in Billings, Montana at our conveniently located testing laboratory. Call (406) 272-5001 or schedule online. We offer legal paternity tests, sibling studies, grandparent DNA tests, avuncular (aunt or uncle) testing, and postmortem DNA testing to determine if people are biologically related.
Set up DNA testing appointments online. Test results can be used in court for child support or to change a birth certificate; it can also be used for simple peace of mind. Appointments can be scheduled together or separately. Legal DNA tests are done by cheek swab at our testing centers. We can also extract DNA samples from hair follicles, fingernails, and other specimens.
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DNA Testing Billings MT
Types of DNA Tests at our Billings MT clinics:
Paternity Testing can conclusively establish whether or not a man is the biological father of a child.
Relationship Testing for other close family relationships can be performed at our testing centers. Our DNA testing services can confirm or deny biological relationships between grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, half-siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews:
Specimens we can test for DNA
The easiest and most reliable way to obtain a DNA sample for paternity testing is to swab the inner cheeks of the alleged father and child or children. These skin cells are known as buccal cells, and they rub off easily onto cotton swabs and remain in place for analysis by our laboratory.
Other specimen samples, such as hair follicles, fingernails, and garments that might contain someone's DNA, can also be tested. An Alternative Specimen DNA Test is done by ordering one of our testing kits online and shipping the specimens back to us.
Legal DNA Tests vs. "Peace of Mind" At-Home Tests
A Legal Paternity Test is a court admissible lab testing service performed at an AABB accredited laboratory. Accurate results for DNA paternity testing with 99.99% confidence or greater take about a week.
When deciding which type of DNA test is right for you, consider first what you might do with the results. A legal paternity DNA test will hold up in court for such matters as child support or to change the name on a birth certificate. This test must be performed using strict chain of custody procedures. Our Billings DNA testing technicians are trained to follow these guidelines so that the results will be legally admissible.
How to schedule a DNA Test in Billings MT
Scheduling a DNA test at one of our Billings clinics is simple and fast, and we often have appointments available in the same week. It's always helpful to schedule in advance to make sure you get the time you want. Please call our customer service team to help you book your appointment over the phone, or set up your appointment easily online.
We have state of the art testing labs and friendly clinics that perform the DNA sample collection in Billings, plus many more locations throughout Montana and across the United States. During registration, we'll show you the nearest locations for DNA testing so you can choose the site that's most convenient. You'll also pick the times and days that you prefer.
Why Health Street
A Decade Plus of Experience
Health Street has provided DNA tests since 2010. The first DNA test we performed in Billings, MT was in 2014.
Commitment to Community
Health Street is dedicated to the paternity testing needs of the people of Billings, Montana.Billings, Montana - DNA Testing
Establishing paternity in Billings, MT
In Montana, paternity can be presumed by law. When parents are married, the husband is assumed to be the legal father. For unmarried parents, it is necessary to establish paternity.
They can do so in multiple ways, for example:
Most commonly, parents who agree about paternity sign the VPA at the hospital when the baby is born since. This method of establishing paternity in Billings is quick and easy, and the hospital staff can usually help parents with the process.
Sometimes, the mother and the alleged father disagree about paternity or are unsure whether the man is the biological father. Parents in this situation often choose to go to court. In Montana, the judge often requests a DNA test for the father and the child to determine their relationship. If the DNA test returns from the laboratory indicating that the man is the biological father, the judge will usually establish paternity.
Occasionally, parents who are uncertain of paternity take at-home DNA tests to confirm whether the man is the father. Although DNA tests from home are highly accurate and great for peace of mind, it is important to remember that the court usually does not accept home DNA test results as evidence.
Billings, Montana: Challenging paternity
In Montana, a rebuttable presumption of paternity can be challenged as long as the father has evidence to prove he is not a biological father. This often includes the results of DNA tests. However, if a court has already established paternity and the alleged father wants to challenge it, the process may be much more complicated. The same applies if the parents signed the Acknowledgement of Paternity and sixty days from signing have already passed. This document has the same force and effects as court decisions. However, if the man can prove that there was a fraud, duress, or material mistake of fact, paternity may be challenged.
DNA Paternity Testing Changes Lives for Billings and Cody Families
Two Billings residents learned that they had a half-sibling they never knew about after a man named David Etchells, who was adopted, took a DNA test in an attempt to find his biological family. Etchells was previously able to obtain his birth records and track down family on his mother's side, but didn't have any luck tracing his paternity, He was certainly surprised when he received his DNA test results, which stated: "Relationship: Roy Irvin Hostetler is your father."
Etchells reached out to Roy Hostetler, asked some questions about his biological mother, and, eventually told him, "I'm your son." Roy then called his four children from his first marriage — two of whom lived in Billings — to tell them they had a half-sibling. To say that they were shocked is an understatement. They all finally met in person and were surprised by how much they actually had in common. They planned to have more reunions in Billings and, eventually, to travel together. They're all thrilled to have a larger family and have called it "a turning point" in their lives.
Last updated 11/2/2022
Locations
Clinic Hours for DNA Testing in Billings, Montana
2900 12th Avenue N Suite 150w Billings, MT 59101Neighborhoods In and Around Billings That We Serve
Additional Services
Health Street offers a variety of other services, including: