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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>353628</law_id><section_number>20-184</section_number><catch_line>Limits of privilege</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>20-182</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="56" identifier="20">Domestic Relations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="13" identifier="11">Uniform Collaborative Law Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> There is no <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Privilege against disclosure of collaborative law communication; admissibility; discovery" href="/20-182/">20-182</a> for a <span class="dictionary">collaborative law communication</span> that is: <a id="paragraph-1317502" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Available to the public; <a id="paragraph-1317503" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A threat or statement of a plan to inflict bodily injury or commit a <span class="dictionary">crime</span> of violence; <a id="paragraph-1317504" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Intentionally used to plan a <span class="dictionary">crime</span>, commit or attempt to commit a <span class="dictionary">crime</span>, or conceal an ongoing <span class="dictionary">crime</span> or ongoing criminal activity; or <a id="paragraph-1317505" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> In an agreement resulting from the <span class="dictionary">collaborative law process</span>, evidenced by a <span class="dictionary">record</span> signed by all parties to the agreement. <a id="paragraph-1317506" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">privileges</span> under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Privilege against disclosure of collaborative law communication; admissibility; discovery" href="/20-182/">20-182</a> for a <span class="dictionary">collaborative law communication</span> do not apply to the extent that a communication is: <a id="paragraph-1317507" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Sought or offered to prove or disprove a claim or complaint of professional misconduct or malpractice arising from or related to a <span class="dictionary">collaborative law process</span>; or <a id="paragraph-1317508" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Sought or offered to prove or disprove abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exploitation of a child or adult, unless the child protective services or adult protective services unit of the local department of social services is a <span class="dictionary">party</span> to or otherwise participates in the process. <a id="paragraph-1317509" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> There is no <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Privilege against disclosure of collaborative law communication; admissibility; discovery" href="/20-182/">20-182</a> if a <span class="dictionary">tribunal</span> finds, after a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> <span class="dictionary">in camera</span>, that the <span class="dictionary">party</span> seeking <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> or the proponent of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> has shown that the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> is not otherwise available, the need for the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> substantially outweighs the interest in protecting confidentiality, and the <span class="dictionary">collaborative law communication</span> is sought or offered in (i) a <span class="dictionary">court</span> <span class="dictionary">proceeding</span> involving a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> or <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> or (ii) a <span class="dictionary">proceeding</span> seeking rescission or reformation of a <span class="dictionary">contract</span> arising out of the <span class="dictionary">collaborative law process</span> or in which a defense to avoid liability on the <span class="dictionary">contract</span> is asserted. <a id="paragraph-1317510" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> If a <span class="dictionary">collaborative law communication</span> is subject to an exception under subsection B or C, only the part of the communication necessary for the application of the exception may be disclosed or admitted. <a id="paragraph-1317511" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Disclosure or admission of <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> excepted from the <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> under subsection B or C does not make the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> or any other <span class="dictionary">collaborative law communication</span> discoverable or <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> for any other purpose. <a id="paragraph-1317512" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> The <span class="dictionary">privileges</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Privilege against disclosure of collaborative law communication; admissibility; discovery" href="/20-182/">20-182</a> do not apply if the parties agree in advance in a signed <span class="dictionary">record</span>, or if a <span class="dictionary">record</span> of a <span class="dictionary">proceeding</span> reflects agreement by the parties, that all or part of a <span class="dictionary">collaborative law process</span> is not privileged. This subsection does not apply to a <span class="dictionary">collaborative law communication</span> made by a person who did not receive actual notice of the agreement that all or part of a <span class="dictionary">collaborative law process</span> is not privileged before the communication was made. <a id="paragraph-1317513" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/20-184/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 346.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
