Court ordered and attorney referred testing

Testing for legal requirements

When testing is part of a legal process, details matter. The collection has to be done correctly, the paperwork has to be complete, and results have to reach the right people on time. Blackburn Monitoring provides drug and alcohol testing in Los Angeles for people with court ordered requirements, probation or diversion conditions, and attorney referrals.

We offer chain of custody documentation, observed collection when required, partner laboratory confirmation of presumptive positives, and fast reporting to attorneys, probation officers or programs that you authorize in writing. Just as important, you have a real person to call when you have questions about your schedule or your results.

First, check with your attorney

Before you start, ask your attorney, probation officer or program whether a specific testing vendor, test type or reporting format is required. Some courts and agencies use their own contracted providers and will only accept results from them. Others leave the choice to you. We cannot promise that any particular court or agency will accept a result, so confirming the requirements first protects you from paying for tests that do not count.

When you call us, have these details ready if you can:

• Which substances must be tested (drugs, alcohol, or both).
• How often, and whether testing must be random.
• Whether chain of custody documentation is required.
• Whether positives must be laboratory confirmed.
• Who must receive results, and how.
• Any start date or deadline.

Who we work with

• Court ordered testing

  People with a court order to complete drug or alcohol testing, where the court allows an independent provider.

• Probation and diversion

  Testing to support probation conditions or a diversion program, coordinated with your officer or program as you authorize.

• Attorney referred testing

  Defense and other attorneys who want clients to build an objective record of sobriety, often before a hearing or resolution.

  Information for attorneys

• Voluntary proof

  People who are not required to test yet but want documented, credible results to show their progress.

How we protect the integrity of your results

• Identity check: photo ID confirmed at every collection.
• Chain of custody: documentation that records who handled the sample, and when, from collection onward.
• Observed collection when your requirement calls for it.
• Lab confirmation: presumptive positives can be sent to a partner laboratory for confirmation using a more specific method.
• Consent-based reporting: results go only to the people named in your written authorization.

Lab confirmation is not a formality. Instant screens are designed to be fast and sensitive, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse describes confirmation testing as the step that verifies a positive screen. If a result could affect your case, ask your attorney whether confirmation is required, and tell us before you test.

Random testing for legal matters

Many legal requirements call for random testing. In our random testing program, you receive an electronic notice when it is time to test and report to your scheduled location. Your coordinator explains the rules up front: how much time you have to report, how missed tests are handled, and how results reach your attorney or officer. For a longer record with a person following your progress, see ongoing monitoring.

Alcohol testing for legal requirements

If your requirement involves alcohol, we offer breath testing for alcohol in your system at the time of the test and EtG urine testing for drinking over recent days. EtG can be detectable for up to about 5 days after drinking, depending on the amount and the cutoff used (Mayo Clinic Laboratories). Because alcohol-based products like hand sanitizer and mouthwash can produce detectable EtG, we will go over what to avoid before you start. See EtG alcohol testing and breathalyzer testing.

Where and when

Testing is by appointment only, at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. When your schedule falls outside office hours, testing can be arranged at other Blackburn locations on the Westside. Mobile testing is available for an additional fee. We do not take walk-ins.

When a legal problem is also a health problem

A court requirement is often a sign that substance use has started to cost something real. Meeting the requirement matters, and so does getting support. Getting real support alongside testing, such as therapy, a structured place to live or a mentor, can help you meet the requirement and, more importantly, feel better. Through The Blackburn Group, we can connect you with therapy and psychiatric care, sober living, one-on-one mentoring and scholarship help for treatment.

Need more than testing?

A test result tells you what is happening. It does not tell you what to do next. Because Blackburn Monitoring is part of The Blackburn Group, your coordinator can connect you with the right kind of help without starting from scratch somewhere else.

• Therapy and psychiatry

  Individual therapy and psychiatric care for substance use and the mental health concerns that often travel with it.

  Blackburn Clinical Services

• Sober living

  Structured sober living and sober apartments for men in West Los Angeles, for when more support at home would help.

  Blackburn Recovery Services

• Mentoring

  One-on-one mentoring for accountability and structure, with a consistent person who checks in and helps you follow through.

  Blackburn Mentoring

• Scholarship help

  Treatment scholarships through our nonprofit for people who need care and cannot cover the full cost.

  The Blackburn Foundation

Your monitoring coordinator can make the introduction.

Cost

Our testing is low cost. For legal matters, cost depends mainly on how often you test, which tests are required, whether chain of custody documentation and lab confirmation are needed, and whether you use mobile testing. See what affects the cost, then call for current pricing.

We do not perform DOT-regulated testing. Nothing on this page is legal advice; please follow the guidance of your attorney and the court.