Coercive or violent relationship

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 a process; and 2. The collaborative lawyer reasonably believes that the safety of the party or prospective party can be protected adequately during a process. Added by Laws 2025, c. 226, § 15, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.