{"data":{"id":"us-il/750-ilcs-90-20","jurisdiction":"us-il","citation":"750 ILCS 90/20","heading":"Beginning and concluding the collaborative process.","body":"(a) A collaborative process begins when the parties sign a collaborative process participation agreement.\n(b) A court may not order a party to participate in a collaborative process over that party's objection.\n(c) A collaborative process is concluded by:\n(1) resolution of a collaborative process matter as evidenced by a signed record of the parties;\n(2) resolution of a part of the collaborative process matter, evidenced by a signed record of the parties, in which the parties agree that the remaining parts of the matter will not be resolved in the process; or\n(3) termination of the process.\n(d) A collaborative process terminates:\n(1) when a party gives notice to other parties in a record that the process is ended;\n(2) when a party:\n(A) begins a proceeding related to a collaborative process matter without the agreement of all parties; or\n(B) in a pending proceeding related to the matter:\n(i) initiates a pleading, motion, order to show cause, or request for a conference with the court;\n(ii) requests that the proceeding be put on the court's active calendar; or\n(iii) takes similar action requiring notice to be sent to the parties;\n(3) except as otherwise provided by subsection (g), when a party discharges a collaborative process lawyer or a collaborative process lawyer withdraws from further representation of a party; or\n(4) when the process no longer meets the definition of collaborative process matter.\n(e) A party's collaborative process lawyer shall give prompt notice to all other parties in a record of a discharge or withdrawal.\n(f) A party may terminate a collaborative process with or without cause.\n(g) A collaborative process continues, despite the discharge or withdrawal of a collaborative process lawyer, if not later than 30 days after the date that the notice of the discharge or withdrawal of a collaborative process lawyer required by subsection (e) is sent to the parties:\n(1) the unrepresented party engages a successor collaborative process lawyer; and\n(2) in a signed record:\n(A) the parties consent to continue the process by reaffirming the collaborative process participation agreement;\n(B) the agreement is amended to identify the successor collaborative process lawyer; and\n(C) the successor collaborative process lawyer confirms the lawyer's representation of a party in the collaborative process.\n(h) A collaborative process does not conclude if, with the consent of the parties, a party requests a court to approve a resolution of the collaborative process matter or any part thereof as evidenced by a signed record.\n(i) A collaborative process participation agreement may provide additional methods of concluding a collaborative process.","path":["CHAPTER 750 FAMILIES","Collaborative Process Act."],"source_url":"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=3804\u0026ChapterID=59\u0026ChapAct=FullText\u0026Print=True","current_through":"at least Public Act 104-790","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-15T04:46:44Z","sha256":"435eee3c6a8338acb2c56cab645d42ed65111e886a5a79701bc33572ba5c095b","source_id":"us-il","stale":false,"prev":"us-il/750-ilcs-90-15","next":"us-il/750-ilcs-90-25"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}