(a) A collaborative law process begins when the parties sign a collaborative law participation agreement.
(b) A tribunal may not order a party to participate in a collaborative law process over that party's objection.
(c) A collaborative law process is concluded by a:
(1) resolution of a collaborative matter as evidenced by a signed record;
(2) resolution of a part of the collaborative matter, evidenced by a signed record, in which the parties agree that the remaining parts of the matter will not be resolved in the process; or
(3) termination of the process.
(d) A collaborative law process terminates:
(1) when a party gives notice to other parties in a record that the process is ended;
(2) when a party:
(A) begins a proceeding related to a collaborative matter without the agreement of all parties; or
(B) in a pending proceeding related to the matter:
(i) initiates a pleading, motion, order to show cause, or request for a conference with the tribunal;
(ii) requests that the proceeding be put on the tribunal's active calendar; or
(iii) takes similar action requiring notice to be sent to the parties; or
(3) except as otherwise provided by subsection (g), when a party discharges a collaborative lawyer or a collaborative lawyer withdraws from further representation of a party.
(e) A party's collaborative lawyer shall give prompt notice to all other parties in a record of a discharge or withdrawal.
(f) A party may terminate a collaborative law process with or without cause.
(g) Notwithstanding the discharge or withdrawal of a collaborative lawyer, a collaborative law process continues, if not later than 30 days after the date that the notice of the discharge or withdrawal of a collaborative lawyer required by subsection (e) is sent to the parties:
(1) the unrepresented party engages a successor collaborative lawyer; and
(2) in a signed record:
(A) the parties consent to continue the process by reaffirming the collaborative law participation agreement;
(B) the agreement is amended to identify the successor collaborative lawyer; and
(C) the successor collaborative lawyer confirms the lawyer's representation of a party in the collaborative process.
(h) A collaborative law process does not conclude if, with the consent of the parties, a party requests a tribunal to approve a resolution of the collaborative matter or any part thereof as evidenced by a signed record.
(i) A collaborative law participation agreement may provide additional methods of concluding a collaborative law process.
Last modified: May 3, 2021