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Amend HB 260 as follows:                                                     
	SECTION __.  Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is amended by 
adding a new Chapter 161, Collaborative Law, to read as follows:

CHAPTER 161                                                            

COLLABORATIVE LAW                                                      
	Sec. 161.001.  POLICY  It is the policy of this state to 
encourage the peaceable resolution of disputes, with special 
consideration given to disputes involving the parent-child 
relationship, including the mediation of issues involving 
conservatorship, possession, and support of children, and the early 
settlement of pending litigation through voluntary settlement 
procedures.
	Sec. 161.002.  COLLABORATIVE LAW PROCEDURES.                            
	(a)  On a written agreement of the parties and their 
attorneys, a dispute may be conducted under collaborative law 
procedures.
	(b)  Collaborative law is a voluntary procedure in which the 
parties and their counsel agree in writing to use their best efforts 
and make a good faith attempt to resolve their dispute on an agreed 
basis without resorting to judicial intervention except to have the 
court approve the settlement agreement, make the legal 
pronouncements, and sign the orders required by law to effectuate 
the agreement of the parties as the court determines appropriate.  
The parties' counsel may not serve as litigation counsel except to 
ask the court to approve the settlement agreement.
	(c)  A collaborative law agreement must include:                        
		(1)  provisions for full and candid exchange of 
information between the parties and their attorneys as necessary to 
make a proper evaluation of the case;
		(2)  provisions for suspending court intervention in 
the dispute while the parties are using collaborative law 
procedures;
		(3)  provisions for hiring experts, as jointly agreed, 
to be used in the procedure;
		(4)  provisions for withdrawal of all counsel involved 
in the collaborative law procedure if the collaborative law 
procedure does not result in settlement of the dispute; and
		(5)  other provisions as agreed to by the parties 
consistent with a good faith effort to collaboratively settle the 
matter.
	(d)  Notwithstanding Rule 11, Texas Rules of Civil 
Procedure, or another rule or law, a party is entitled to judgment 
on a collaborative law settlement agreement if the agreement:
		(1)  provides, in a prominently displayed statement 
that is boldfaced, capitalized, or underlined, that the agreement 
is not subject to revocation; and
		(2)  is signed by each party to the agreement and the 
attorney of each party.
	(e)  Subject to Subsection (g), a court that is notified 30 
days before trial that the parties are using collaborative law 
procedures to attempt to settle a dispute may not, until a party 
notifies the court that the collaborative law procedures did not 
result in a settlement:
		(1)  set a hearing or trial in the case;                               
		(2)  impose discovery deadlines;                                       
		(3)  require compliance with scheduling orders; or                     
		(4)  dismiss the case.                                                 
	(f)  The parties shall notify the court if the collaborative 
law procedures result in a settlement.  If a settlement has not been 
reached, the parties shall file:
		(1)  a status report with the court not later than the 
180th day after the date of the written agreement to use the 
procedures; and
		(2)  a status report on or before the first anniversary 
of the date of the written agreement to use the procedures, 
accompanied by a motion for continuance that the court shall grant 
if the status report indicates the desire of the parties to continue 
to use collaborative law procedures.
	(g)  If the collaborative law procedures do not result in a 
settlement on or before the second anniversary of the date that the 
suit was filed, the court may set the suit for trial on the regular 
docket.
	(h)  This section does not a apply to claim for personal 
injury or property damage in which the claim is being handled on a 
contingency fee basis.
	Sec. 161.003.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF COLLABORATIVE LAW 
PROCEDURES.  The provisions for confidentiality of alternative 
dispute resolution procedures as provided in Chapter 154 apply 
equally to collaborative law procedures under Chapter 161 and 
Sections 6.603 and 153.0072, Family Code.
	SECTION __.  This Chapter applies only to an action 
commenced:  (1)  on or after the effective date of this Act; or (2) 
before the effective date of this Act if the trial in the action has 
not begun before the effective date of this Act.