Legal Definitions - DNA identification

DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.

DNA identification is a scientific method used to determine the source of a biological sample by comparing its unique genetic information with that of an individual. Every person's DNA contains a distinct chemical structure, like a unique genetic blueprint. This process involves analyzing specific patterns within a DNA sample obtained from a biological specimen, such as blood, saliva, or skin cells, and then comparing these patterns to a known individual's DNA to establish a match or exclusion. This technique is also commonly referred to as DNA fingerprinting, DNA profiling, or genetic typing.

Here are some examples of how DNA identification is applied:

• Paternity Disputes: When a child's biological father needs to be legally established, perhaps for child support or inheritance purposes, DNA identification is frequently used. For instance, if a man denies being the father of a child, samples of DNA can be collected from the child, the mother, and the man.

  This illustrates DNA identification because the genetic patterns from the child's DNA are compared against those of the man. A match in specific genetic markers would definitively confirm a biological father-child relationship, while a lack of a match would exclude him as the biological father.

• Cold Case Investigations: Decades after a serious crime, new forensic technology allows investigators to re-examine old evidence. For example, a tiny bloodstain or a few skin cells found under a victim's fingernail from a crime committed years ago might be re-analyzed.

  This illustrates DNA identification because the degraded or minute DNA sample from the cold case evidence can be processed to create a genetic profile. This profile can then be compared against DNA samples from potential suspects or searched against national DNA databases, potentially linking a specific individual to the crime scene long after the event occurred.

• Family Reunification for Immigration: In situations where families have been separated due to conflict, natural disaster, or other circumstances, and official documents like birth certificates are unavailable, DNA identification can help prove biological relationships for immigration or asylum claims. For instance, a parent attempting to bring a child into a new country might need to prove their familial link.

  This illustrates DNA identification because DNA samples from the claimed parent and child can be collected and compared. The analysis would confirm whether they share the genetic markers consistent with a parent-child relationship, thereby providing crucial evidence for family reunification when other forms of documentation are missing.