{"data":{"id":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-1-642","jurisdiction":"us-nc","citation":"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-642","heading":"Definitions.","body":"The following definitions apply in this Article:\n(1)\tCollaborative law communication. - A statement, whether oral or in a record, or verbal or nonverbal, that does all of the following:\na.\tIs made to conduct, participate in, continue, or reconvene a collaborative law process.\nb.\tOccurs after the parties sign a collaborative law participation agreement and before the collaborative law process is concluded.\n(2)\tCollaborative law participation agreement. - An agreement by persons to participate in a collaborative law process under this Article.\n(3)\tCollaborative law process. - A procedure intended to resolve a collaborative matter without intervention by a tribunal in which persons do all of the following:\na.\tSign a collaborative law participation agreement.\nb.\tAre represented by collaborative lawyers.\n(4)\tCollaborative lawyer. - A lawyer who represents a party in a collaborative law process.\n(5)\tCollaborative matter. - A dispute, transaction, claim, problem, or issue for resolution, including a dispute, claim, or issue in a proceeding, which is described in a collaborative law participation agreement.\n(6)\tLaw firm. - Any of the following:\na.\tLawyers who practice law together in a partnership, professional corporation, sole proprietorship, limited liability company, or association.\nb.\tLawyers employed in a legal services organization, or the legal department of a corporation or other organization, or the legal department of a government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality.\n(7)\tNonparty participant. - A person, other than a party and the party's collaborative lawyer, that participates in a collaborative law process.\n(8)\tParty. - A person that signs a collaborative law participation agreement and whose consent is necessary to resolve a collaborative matter.\n(9)\tPerson. - An individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity.\n(10)\tProceeding. - Any of the following:\na.\tA judicial, administrative, arbitral, or other adjudicative process before a tribunal, including related prehearing and post-hearing motions, conferences, and discovery.\nb.\tA legislative hearing or similar process.\n(11)\tProspective party. - A person that discusses with a prospective collaborative lawyer the possibility of signing a collaborative law participation agreement.\n(12)\tRecord. - Information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.\n(13)\tRelated to the collaborative matter. - Involving the same transaction or occurrence, nucleus of operative fact, dispute, claim, or issue as the collaborative matter.\n(14)\tSign. - With present intent to authenticate or adopt a record to do any of the following:\na.\tExecute or adopt a tangible symbol.\nb.\tAttach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound, or process.\n(15)\tTribunal. - Any of the following:\na.\tA court, arbitrator, administrative agency, or other body acting in an adjudicative capacity which, after presentation of evidence or legal argument, has jurisdiction to render a decision affecting a party's interests in a matter.\nb.\tA legislative body conducting a hearing or similar process. (2020-65, s. 1.)","path":["Chapter 1. Civil Procedure.","SUBCHAPTER XV. INCIDENTAL PROCEDURE IN CIVIL ACTIONS.","Article 53. Uniform Collaborative Law Act."],"source_url":"https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_1/GS_1-642.html","current_through":"S.L. 2026-30","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T17:54:12Z","sha256":"f3ceda195c306b260e3c63b7e5e78dbc3371f22d5e09a142c25799b8a3177869","source_id":"us-nc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-1-641","next":"us-nc/n.c.-gen.-stat.-1-643"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}