N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-642 — NC Code / Chapter 1 / Section 1-642
§ 1-642. Definitions
Status: in_force

The following definitions apply in this Article:

(1) Collaborative law communication.--A statement, whether oral or in a record, or verbal or nonverbal, that does all of the following:

a. Is made to conduct, participate in, continue, or reconvene a collaborative law process.

b. Occurs after the parties sign a collaborative law participation agreement and before the collaborative law process is concluded.

(2) Collaborative law participation agreement.--An agreement by persons to participate in a collaborative law process under this Article.

(3) Collaborative law process.--A procedure intended to resolve a collaborative matter without intervention by a tribunal in which persons do all of the following:

a. Sign a collaborative law participation agreement.

b. Are represented by collaborative lawyers.

(4) Collaborative lawyer.--A lawyer who represents a party in a collaborative law process.

(5) Collaborative 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.

(6) Law firm.--Any of the following:

a. Lawyers who practice law together in a partnership, professional corporation, sole proprietorship, limited liability company, or association.

b. Lawyers 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.

(7) Nonparty participant.--A person, other than a party and the party's collaborative lawyer, that participates in a collaborative law process.

(8) Party.--A person that signs a collaborative law participation agreement and whose consent is necessary to resolve a collaborative matter.

(9) Person.--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.

(10) Proceeding.--Any of the following:

a. A judicial, administrative, arbitral, or other adjudicative process before a tribunal, including related prehearing and post-hearing motions, conferences, and discovery.

b. A legislative hearing or similar process.

(11) Prospective party.--A person that discusses with a prospective collaborative lawyer the possibility of signing a collaborative law participation agreement.

(12) Record.--Information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

(13) Related to the collaborative matter.--Involving the same transaction or occurrence, nucleus of operative fact, dispute, claim, or issue as the collaborative matter.

(14) Sign.--With present intent to authenticate or adopt a record to do any of the following:

a. Execute or adopt a tangible symbol.

b. Attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound, or process.

(15) Tribunal.--Any of the following:

a. A 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.

b. A legislative body conducting a hearing or similar process.