                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

HISTORY OF FAMILY ABUSE (§ 20-180)

A. Before a prospective party signs a collaborative law participation agreement,
a prospective collaborative lawyer shall make reasonable inquiry into whether
there exists a history of family abuse between the prospective parties.

B. Throughout a collaborative law process, a collaborative lawyer shall
reasonably and continuously assess whether there exists a history of family
abuse between the parties.

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
family abuse with another party or prospective party, the lawyer shall not begin
or continue a collaborative law process unless (i) the party or the prospective
party requests beginning or continuing the process and (ii) the collaborative
lawyer reasonably believes that the safety of the party or prospective party can
be protected adequately during the process.

HISTORY: 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 346.