{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-courts-and-judicial-proceedings-3-2003","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3–2003","heading":"","body":"(a) A collaborative law process begins when the parties sign a collaborative law participation agreement.\n(b) A tribunal may not order a party to participate in a collaborative law process over that party’s objection.\n(c) A collaborative law process is concluded by:\n(1) A resolution of a collaborative matter as evidenced by a signed record;\n(2) A resolution of a part of the collaborative matter, evidenced by a signed record, in which the parties agree that the remaining parts of the matter will not be resolved in the process; or\n(3) A termination of the process.\n(d) A collaborative law 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(i) Begins a proceeding related to a collaborative matter without the agreement of all parties; or\n(ii) In a pending proceeding related to the matter:\n1. Initiates a pleading, a motion, an order to show cause, or a request for a conference with the tribunal;\n2. Requests that the proceeding be put on the tribunal’s calendar; or\n3. Takes similar action requiring notice to be sent to the parties; or\n(3) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (g) of this section, when a party discharges a collaborative lawyer or a collaborative lawyer withdraws from further representation of a party.\n(e) A party’s collaborative 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 law process with or without cause.\n(g) Notwithstanding the discharge or withdrawal of a collaborative lawyer, a collaborative law process continues if, within 30 days after the date that the notice of discharge or withdrawal of a collaborative lawyer required by subsection (e) of this section is sent to the parties:\n(1) The unrepresented party engages a successor collaborative lawyer; and\n(2) In a signed record:\n(i) The parties consent to continue the process by reaffirming the collaborative law participation agreement;\n(ii) The agreement is amended to identify the successor collaborative lawyer; and\n(iii) The successor collaborative lawyer confirms the lawyer’s representation of a party in the collaborative process.\n(h) A collaborative law process does not conclude if, with the consent of the parties, a party requests a tribunal to approve a resolution of the collaborative matter or any part of the collaborative matter as evidenced by a signed record.\n(i) A collaborative law participation agreement may provide additional methods of concluding a collaborative law process.","path":["Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcj\u0026section=3-2003","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:57:03Z","sha256":"3a35056eaf4bdfbc59cc8fa97f4dfc020bb16f09c8fbb4347245966e5c9ab1c3","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-courts-and-judicial-proceedings-3-2002","next":"us-md/md.-code-courts-and-judicial-proceedings-3-2004"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}