(i) The statement is made to conduct, participate in, continue, or reconvene a collaborative law process. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Collaborative law participation agreement: means an agreement by persons to participate in a collaborative law process. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Collaborative law process: means a procedure intended to resolve a collaborative matter without intervention by a tribunal in which persons sign a collaborative law participation agreement and are represented by collaborative lawyers. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Collaborative lawyer: means a lawyer who represents a party in a collaborative law process. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Collaborative matter: means a dispute, transaction, claim, problem, or issue for resolution, including a dispute, claim, or issue in a proceeding, that is described in a collaborative law participation agreement and arises under the family or domestic relations law of this state, including any of the following:

    (i) Marriage, divorce, dissolution, annulment, and property distribution. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.

Law firm: means both of the following:

    (i) Lawyers who practice law together in a partnership, professional corporation, sole proprietorship, limited liability company, or association. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Nonparty participant: means a person, other than a party and the party's collaborative lawyer, that participates in a collaborative law process. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Party: means a person that signs a collaborative law participation agreement and whose consent is necessary to resolve a collaborative matter. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Person: means 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. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Proceeding: means any of the following:

    (i) A judicial, administrative, arbitral, or other adjudicative process before a tribunal, including related prehearing and posthearing motions, conferences, and discovery. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Prospective party: means a person that discusses with a prospective collaborative lawyer the possibility of signing a collaborative law participation agreement. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Related to a collaborative matter: means involving the same parties, transaction or occurrence, nucleus of operative fact, dispute, claim, or issue as the collaborative matter. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.

Sign: means , with present intent to authenticate or adopt a record, either of the following:

    (i) To execute or adopt a tangible symbol. See Michigan Laws 691.1332

Tribunal: means any of the following:

    (i) A court, arbitrator, administrative agency, or other body acting in an adjudicative capacity that, after presentation of evidence or legal argument, has jurisdiction to render a decision affecting a party's interests in a matter. See Michigan Laws 691.1332