Paternity Testing Information for the
Iowa (IA)
Home Test vs. Legal
Test Home Test
Order Page Legal
Test Order Page
We have many Legal DNA Collection
Facilities across the state of Iowa.
Please call for
the nearest collection location which will be convenient to your schedule.
Toll Free
1-888-875-7574
Ask about our low
price guarantee for any DNA testing
The Iowa Statute
1. In a proceeding to establish paternity in law or in equity
the court may on its own motion, and upon request of a party
shall, require the child, mother, and alleged father to submit to
blood or genetic tests.
2. If a blood or genetic test is required, the court shall
direct that inherited characteristics be determined by appropriate
testing procedures, and shall appoint an expert qualified as an
examiner of genetic markers to analyze and interpret the results
and to report to the court. Appropriate testing procedures shall
include any genetic test generally acknowledged as reliable by
accreditation bodies designated by the secretary of the United
States department of health and human services and which are
performed by a laboratory approved by such an accreditation body.
3. Verified documentation of the chain of custody of the blood
or genetic specimen is competent evidence to establish the chain
of custody. The testimony of the court-appointed expert at trial
is not required.
4. A verified expert's report shall be admitted at trial. A
copy of a bill for blood or genetic testing shall be admitted as
evidence, without requiring third-party foundation testimony, and
shall constitute prima facie evidence of amounts incurred for
blood or genetic testing.
5. The results of the tests shall have the following effects:
a. Test results which show a statistical probability of
paternity are admissible. To challenge the test results, a party
shall file a notice of the challenge, with the court, no later
than twenty days after the filing of the expert's report with
the clerk of the district court.
(1) Any subsequent rescheduling or continuances of the
originally scheduled hearing shall not extend the original
time frame.
(2) Any challenge filed after the time frame is not
acceptable or admissible by the court.
(3) If a challenge is not timely filed, the test results
shall be admitted as evidence of paternity without the need of
additional proof of authenticity or accuracy.
b. If the expert concludes that the test results show that
the alleged father is not excluded and that the probability of
the alleged father's paternity is ninety-five percent or
higher, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the
alleged father is the father, and this evidence must be
admitted.
(1) To challenge this presumption of paternity, a party
must file a notice of the challenge with the court within the
time frames prescribed in paragraph "a".
(2) The party challenging the presumption of the alleged
father's paternity has the burden of proving that the alleged
father is not the father of the child.
(3) The presumption of paternity can be rebutted only by
clear and convincing evidence.
c. If the expert concludes that the test results show that
the alleged father is not excluded and that the probability of
the alleged father's paternity is less than ninety-five percent,
test results shall be weighed along with other evidence of the
alleged father's paternity. To challenge the test results, a
party must file a notice of the challenge with the court within
the time frames prescribed in paragraph "a".
6. If the results of the tests or the expert's analysis of
inherited characteristics is disputed in a timely fashion, the
court, upon reasonable request of a party, shall order that an
additional test be made by the same laboratory or an independent
laboratory at the expense of the party requesting additional
testing. When a subsequent test is conducted, all time frames
prescribed in this chapter associated with blood or genetic tests
shall apply to the most recently completed test.
7. All costs shall be paid by the parties or parents in
proportions and at times determined by the court, except as
otherwise provided pursuant to section 600B.41A.
This information is provided for reference only
