What is the difference between a regular paternity and a forensic paternity case?
A forensic paternity case is one that is required as part of a criminal investigation such as incest or an underage mother or an abandoned infant. Court-ready reports will be issued for all such cases (where a proper chain of custody is provided) and expert testimony will be available to support our written results as well.

Will Orchid Cellmark screen a piece of evidence for biological evidence?
Yes, Orchid Cellmark can examine a piece of evidence and test visible stains for the presence of semen, blood and saliva. For small items such as panties, condoms and sexual assault kits, they will be billed on a per item basis. For larger bulk items, they will be billed on an hourly basis.

When an item is screened by Orchid Cellmark, will the item be damaged during the process?
Depending on the item, it may either be swabbed or cut during the screening process.

If my evidence is screened and then tested for DNA, do I have to pay separately for these services?
No, if Orchid Cellmark screens an item and it is found to contain DNA, which is subsequently processed, the screening cost is included in the cost of the DNA analysis.

If STR testing is originally requested, but a Y-STR analysis is required, do I have to pay for both types of analyses?
Yes, however the Y-STR fee is discounted. Please refer to the Forensic Case Submission Form.

Does Orchid Cellmark accept forensic cases from private citizens?
Yes, but if the case is criminal in nature, a private citizen will need to be represented by a lawyer or private investigator. Alternatively, a private citizen can do a forensic type of test (i.e. semen screen, DNA comparison) for a non-criminal case on their own. Click here for more information on Orchid's non-criminal testing services.

Can Orchid Cellmark re-test samples from another laboratory?
Yes, however Orchid Cellmark will need the client to arrange for the release of the samples to our laboratory for testing.

Does Orchid Cellmark review DNA results that have been generated by another laboratory?
Depending on the ability of our in-house experts, it is possible that a case review may be performed by Orchid Cellmark experts. Please call for details.

What testing does Orchid Cellmark not perform?
- Animal and plant forensic DNA testing
- Urinalysis and hair analysis for drugs or other substances
- Drug testing
- Toxicology
- ABO blood typing
- Screening for genetic abnormalities
- HIV testing
- Traditional fingerprinting

Which samples will Orchid Cellmark not test?
- Feces
- Cremated remains
- Samples in formaldehyde

How is personal information protected?
The privacy of our clients is important to us. Your samples are shipped to us in a tamper proof bag. Entry into our DNA testing facility is by restricted access only. All samples are bar-coded and all computer systems are secured. Results are sent to authorized individuals only and cases are only discussed with those who are authorized to do so. For the protection of the tested parties, results are not usually released over the phone except in unusual circumstances. All samples and DNA profiles are retained for a period of time, as required by accreditation guidelines but are destroyed after the requisite storage periods.