{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-4019","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 16-4019","heading":"Limits of privilege.","body":"(a)\nThere is no privilege under § 16-4017 for a collaborative law communication that is:\n(1)\nAvailable to the public under the District of Columbia Public Records Management Act of 1985, effective September 5, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-19; D.C. Official Code § 2-1701 et seq.), or made during a session of a collaborative law process that is open, or is required by law to be open, to the public;\n(2)\nA threat or statement of a plan to inflict bodily injury or commit a crime of violence;\n(3)\nIntentionally used to plan a crime, commit or attempt to commit a crime, or conceal an ongoing crime or ongoing criminal activity;\n(4)\nIn an agreement resulting from the collaborative law process evidenced by a record signed by all parties to the agreement; or\n(5)\nA disclosure in a report of suspected domestic violence to an appropriate agency under subchapter I of Chapter 10 of this title.\n\n(b)\nThe privileges under § 16-4017 for a collaborative law communication do not apply to the extent that a communication is:\n(1)\nSought or offered to prove or disprove a claim or complaint of professional misconduct or malpractice arising from or related to a collaborative law process; or\n(2)\nSought or offered to prove or disprove abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exploitation of a child or adult, unless the District of Columbia is a party to or otherwise participates in the process.\n\n(c)\n\n      in camera\n    \n(1)\nA judicial proceeding involving a felony or misdemeanor; or\n(2)\nA proceeding seeking rescission or reformation of a contract arising out of the collaborative law process or in which a defense to avoid liability on the contract is asserted.\n\n(d)\nIf a collaborative law communication is subject to an exception under subsection (b) or (c) of this section, only the part of the communication necessary for the application of the exception may be disclosed or admitted.\n\n(e)\nDisclosure or admission of evidence excepted from the privilege under subsection (b) or (c) of this section does not make the evidence or any other collaborative law communication discoverable or admissible for any other purpose.\n\n(f)\nThe privileges under § 16-4017 do not apply if the parties agree in advance in a signed record, or if a record of a proceeding reflects agreement by the parties, that all or part of a collaborative law process is not privileged. This subsection shall not apply to a collaborative law communication made by a person that did not receive actual notice of the agreement before the communication was made.","path":["Title 16. Particular Actions, Proceedings and Matters. [Enacted title]","Chapter 40. Collaborative Law; Uniform Act."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/16-4019","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"c853c10dfef7d08247577bde12676b5d50b8f754f8da992f65e1642444ad2ace","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-4018","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-16-4020"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}