Skip to main content
Log in

Power of exclusion revisited: probability of excluding relatives of the true father from paternity

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Legal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In parentage testing using DNA markers, the formulae for calculating the probability of exclusion generally overstate the power of a test battery by considering its ability to exclude a random man. It is know that in many cases, in particular immigration applications, the false father is more likely to be a relative, e.g. brother, of the true father than an unrelated man. This work presents formulae that take this consideration into account. A practical example using Hong Kong data is provided to illustrate the effect of the modification. Also discussed is how the expected efficacy of a test battery will be affected when possible mutations and null alleles or genetic inconsistencies are taken into consideration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brinkmann B, Pfeiffer H, Schürenkamp M, Hohoff C (2001) The evidential value of STRs: an analysis of exclusion cases. Int J Legal Med 114: 173–177

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chakraborty R, Shaw MW, Schull WJ (1974) Exclusion of paternity: the current state of the art. Am J Hum Genet 26:477–488

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chakraborty R, Stivers DN (1996) Paternity exclusion by DNA markers: effects of paternal mutations. J Forensic Sci 41:671–677

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garber RA, Morris JW (1983) General equations for the average power of exclusion for genetic systems of n codominant alleles in one-parent and no-parent cases of disputed parentage. In: Walker RH (ed) Inclusion probabilities in parentage testing. American Association of Blood Banks. Arlington, VA, pp 277–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunn PR, Trueman K, Stapleton P, Klarkowski DB (1997) DNA analysis in disputed parentage: the occurrence of two apparently false exclusions of paternity, both at short tandem repeat (STR) loci, in the one child. Electrophoresis 18:1650–1652

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jamieson A, Taylor SC (1997) Comparisons of three probability formulae for parentage exclusion. Anim Genet 28: 397–400

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaye DH (1990) DNA paternity probabilities. Fam Law Quart 24:280–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee CL, Lebeck L, Pothiawala M (1980) Exclusion of paternity without testing the mother. Am J Clin Pathol 74:809–812

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li CC, Sacks L (1954) The derivation of joint distribution and correlation between relatives by the use of stochastic matrices. Biometrics 10:247–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melvin JR, Kateley JR, Oaks MK, Simson LR, Maldonado WE (1988) Paternity testing. In: Saferstein R (ed) Forensic science handbook, vol II. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp 273–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohno Y, Sebetan IM, Akaishi S (1982) A simple method for calculating the probability, of excluding paternity with any number of codominant alleles. Forensic Sci Int 19:93–98

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saimon DB, Brocteur J (1978) Probability of paternity exclusion when relatives are involved. Am J Hum Genet 30:65–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenk RE, Traver M, Chiafari FA (1996) Determination of sibship in any two persons. Transfusion 36:259–262

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wiener ML, Lederer M, Polayes SH (1930) Studies in isohemagglutination IV: on the chances of proving non-paternity; with special reference to blood groups. J Immunol 19:259–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong DM, Law MY, Fung WK, Chan KL, Li C, Lun TS, Lai KM, Cheung KY, Chiu CT (2001) Population data for 12 STR loci in Hong Kong Chinese. Int J Legal Med 114:281–284

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wing K. Fung.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fung, W.K., Chung, Yk. & Wong, Dm. Power of exclusion revisited: probability of excluding relatives of the true father from paternity. Int J Legal Med 116, 64–67 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004140100210

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004140100210

Keywords

Navigation