§ 16-4015 — Coercive or violent relationship.

District of Columbia § 16-4015

• Jurisdiction: District of Columbia
• Title 16: Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]
• Ch. 40: Collaborative Law; Uniform Act.

Text

(a) Before a prospective party signs a collaborative law participation agreement, a prospective collaborative lawyer shall make reasonable inquiry whether the prospective party has a history of a coercive or violent relationship with another prospective party.

(b) Throughout a collaborative law process, a collaborative lawyer reasonably and continuously shall assess whether the party the collaborative lawyer represents has a history of a coercive or violent relationship with another party.

(c) If a collaborative lawyer reasonably believes that the party the lawyer represents or the prospective party who consults the lawyer has a history of a coercive or violent relationship with another party or prospective party, the lawyer may not begin or continue a collaborative law process unless:

(1) The party or the prospective party requests beginning or continuing the process; and

(2) The collaborative lawyer reasonably believes that the safety of the party or prospective party can be protected adequately during the process.

Legislative History

May 9, 2012, D.C. Law 19-125, § 2(b), 59 DCR 1928