A paternity case is a lawsuit to determine the natural and legal father of a child and to establish the rights and duties of a parent. The determination of paternity is one of great importance, since the court can not issue an order against the father unless the child's paternity has been established. There are several different ways to establish whether an alleged father is the natural and legal father of the minor child. Common and accurate forms of evidence include blood testing. There are two types of blood tests commonly used. The first is the H.L.A. test or Human Leukocyte Antigen blood test. This test looks for similarities in various components of blood samples. The second test is a form of D.N.A. testing. In this type of blood testing, the genetic code of the child is compared with the genetic code of the mother and father. Since the child inherits one­half of his or her genetic material from each parent, a comparison can be made to determine the biological father. The costs associated with either form of blood testing are about the same. Sometimes the issue of who should pay for the blood test is raised. Normally, the petitioning mother pays the initial cost of the blood tests. However, in the event that the alleged father is determined to be the biological parent, the court has the ability to order the father to reimburse the costs of the blood tests to the mother. In some instances, the parties agree to share the costs of the initial blood tests. For more information on paternity and blood testing, contact an attorney.