Bill > SB01283

This bill adopts the Connecticut Uniform Collaborative Law Act, which establishes a structured alternative dispute resolution process primarily for family and domestic relations matters. The act defines collaborative law as a voluntary process where parties and their lawyers agree to resolve disputes outside of court, with the key requirement that if the process fails, the lawyers must withdraw and the parties must hire new legal representation for traditional litigation. The bill provides comprehensive definitions for terms like "collaborative law communication" and "collaborative matter," which include issues such as divorce, child custody, alimony, and adoption. The act mandates specific requirements for collaborative law participation agreements, including identifying participating lawyers and stating the parties' intention to resolve their matter collaboratively. Importantly, the process emphasizes confidentiality, informal information sharing, and voluntary participation, with safeguards to protect parties in situations involving coercive or violent relationships. The bill also establishes rules about the privileged nature of communications during the collaborative process and outlines circumstances where those communications might be disclosed. Lawyers are required to provide parties with clear information about the benefits and risks of collaborative law before initiating the process, and the act takes effect on October 1, 2025.

Justice

Judiciary Committee (J)

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB01283&which_year=2025