Court-Admissible DNA Testing in Salt Lake City

How Court-Admissible DNA Testing Works at Fastest Labs of Salt Lake City

The process is straightforward and completed quickly. Here’s what to expect from the moment you arrive.

Collection & Chain of Custody

A certified Fastest Labs collector greets you, answers your questions, and addresses any concerns before anything begins. Collection uses a cheek swab (buccal swab): a gentle swipe inside the cheek that takes only minutes and is entirely non-intrusive.

From that point, chain-of-custody procedures govern everything. Chain of custody is the documented process that tracks your DNA sample from collection through laboratory analysis, including identity verification, witnessed collection, signatures, and secure packaging. It’s what makes results legally defensible. Identity is verified, document the sample handoff, and seal everything to prevent tampering or misidentification before sending it to the facilities that we partner with who are accredited by AABB..

Utah Legal Standards & Results Delivery

Utah Code 81-5-503 requires that labs performing genetic testing for court proceedings be AABB-accredited. Under Utah Code 81-5-504, the testing laboratory must document names, photographs, collector identities, collection dates and locations, and fingerprints of tested individuals. Those records establish a reliable chain of custody and can allow results to be admissible without additional testimony. At-home kits collected outside this process don’t meet this standard, regardless of accuracy. Under Utah Code 81-5-505, a genetic testing report must also show at least a 99% probability of paternity and a combined paternity index of at least 100 to 1 for the court to presume paternity. Our lab partners meet these thresholds. Once results are ready, we deliver them to you and any other relevant parties, with notarized paperwork included when required.

When You Need Court-Admissible DNA Testing in Salt Lake County

Several legal situations in Utah require results from an AABB-accredited facility collected under proper chain-of-custody procedures. Common reasons Salt Lake City residents come to us include:

Paternity Establishment
When unmarried parents have a child in Utah, the father has no automatic legal rights or responsibilities. Paternity must be established through a court process, and a court-admissible DNA test is typically the required evidence. A judicial paternity order can then establish child support, custody and visitation rights, medical support obligations, and allow the father’s name to be added to the birth certificate.

Child Support & Custody
Salt Lake City falls within Utah’s Third Judicial District, where family law paternity cases are decided by a Commissioner. Legally sound documentation matters here. Results that meet court-admissible requirements give attorneys and commissioners the evidentiary foundation they need.

Immigration DNA Verification
U.S. immigration authorities may require DNA evidence of a biological relationship when supporting documents are missing or incomplete. Results from an AABB-accredited facility can satisfy this requirement. Facilities that we partner with are accredited by AABB.

Inheritance & Benefits Claims
Court-admissible DNA testing results can also support a child’s eligibility for military or government benefits and inheritance claims where a biological relationship must be documented.

A court order isn’t required for both parties to undergo legal-grade DNA testing voluntarily. As long as collection takes place at an accredited facility under proper chain-of-custody procedures, the results remain court admissible under Utah law.