District of Columbia Code
Chapter 40 - Collaborative Law; Uniform Act
§ 16–4015. Coercive or violent relationship

(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.
(May 9, 2012, D.C. Law 19-125, § 2(b), 59 DCR 1928.)
This section is referenced in § 16-4020.
Uniform Law: This section is based on § 15 of the Uniform Collaborative Law Act.

Structure District of Columbia Code