Sec.
§
38.490
Collaborative law process: Commencement; participation; conclusion; termination; withdrawal of collaborative attorney; continuation after discharge or withdrawal of collaborative lawyer.
1.
A collaborative law process begins when the parties sign a collaborative law participation agreement.
2.
A tribunal may not order a party to participate in a collaborative law process over the objection of that party.
3.
A collaborative law process is concluded by a:
(a)
Resolution of a collaborative matter as evidenced by a signed record;
(b)
Resolution of a part of the collaborative matter, evidenced by a signed record, in which the parties agree that the remaining parts of the collaborative matter will not be resolved in the collaborative law process; or
(c)
Termination of the collaborative law process.
4.
A collaborative law process terminates:
(a)
When a party gives notice to other parties in a record that the collaborative law process is ended;
(b)
When a party:
(1)
Begins a proceeding related to a collaborative matter without the agreement of all parties; or
(2)
In a pending proceeding related to the collaborative 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
(c)
Except as otherwise provided in subsection 7, when a party discharges a collaborative lawyer or a collaborative lawyer withdraws from further representation of a party.
5.
The collaborative lawyer of a party shall give prompt notice to all other parties in a record of the discharge or withdrawal of the collaborative lawyer.
6.
A party may terminate a collaborative law process with or without cause.
7.
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 5 is sent to the parties:
(a)
The unrepresented party engages a successor collaborative lawyer; and
(b)
In a signed record:
(1)
The parties consent to continue the process by reaffirming the collaborative law participation agreement;
(2)
The agreement is amended to identify the successor collaborative lawyer; and
(3)
The successor collaborative lawyer confirms the lawyer’s representation of a party in the collaborative process.
8.
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.
9.
A collaborative law participation agreement may provide additional methods of concluding a collaborative law process.