Grounds for Disciplinary Investigation

1. Failure to follow the CDLP® Code of Ethics and Practice Standards, including the AI Use Policy set out on this page.
2. Conviction of state or federal criminal violations, regardless of client involvement.
3. Any other circumstances deemed appropriate by the DLA.

Forms of Discipline

The DLA may also impose other appropriate disciplinary actions and determines discipline on a case-by-case basis at its discretion.

Investigation Process

1. Written Complaint

   • All complaints against a CDLP® designee must be submitted in writing to the DLA.

2. Response Requested

   • The Ethics Committee chairman will request relevant information from the CDLP® designee within 30 days. Non-compliance may itself result in disciplinary action.

3. Evaluation

   • The chairman evaluates the complaint and makes a disciplinary recommendation.

4. Appeal

   • The CDLP® designee may appeal the decision in writing within 20 days.

5. Final Decision

   • The Steering Committee reviews the information and decides on the appropriate action. The decision is final and binding.

Reinstatement After Discipline

• Suspension: After the suspension period, a CDLP® designee must file an affidavit within 30 days confirming compliance with the suspension order.
• Revocation: Permanent, with no opportunity for reinstatement.

Confidentiality of Proceedings

• Dismissals and private censures are handled confidentially.
• The DLA will disclose information as required by law or as necessary for regulatory compliance. Suspensions and revocations may be made public at the DLA's discretion.

The Divorce Lending Professional Practice Standards establish the professionalism expected of every Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®) and guide practitioners engaged in Divorce Mortgage Planning services.

Certification Process

Maintaining the CDLP® in Good Standing

The Divorce Lending Professional Process

Service scope: CDLP® practitioners follow this five-step process in every engagement.

1. Establish and Define the Relationship

   • Agree on the scope of services, fee arrangement, and compensation.
   • Disclose any limitations or conflicts of interest.
   • Determine client and practitioner responsibilities.

2. Gather Client Data

   • Obtain sufficient quantitative and qualitative information relevant to the engagement.
   • Communicate any inability to obtain necessary information to the client.

3. Complete the Analysis

   • Apply unbiased judgment and sound economic and mortgage planning principles.

4. Present and Deliver the Work Product

   • Complete all analyses and reports professionally and competently.

5. Confirm Completion

   • Send written correspondence to the client confirming completion of the engagement.

Advisory Services and the Origination Channel

A CDLP® practice may include two distinct channels: fee-based Divorce Mortgage Planning advisory services, administered through the Divorce Lending Association, and mortgage origination, conducted through the practitioner's sponsoring lender. These channels are separated by activity, consistent with Regulation Z, and recommendations made in an advisory engagement must remain independent of any origination relationship, consistent with the Fairness principle of the Code of Ethics.

Licensing & Use of Intellectual Property

Participation in CDLP® membership levels that include access to proprietary marketing materials, core presentations, and educational content (such as those used for CLE, CME, and CJE programs) constitutes a limited-use licensing agreement. By maintaining an active membership at the designated marketing levels, members are granted the right to use, present, and distribute the CDLP® branded materials provided through the Divorce Lending Association for professional and educational purposes.

We are committed to protecting the integrity and intellectual property of the CDLP® platform to ensure its continued value for all active members.

The Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility outlines the ethical standards adopted by the DLA and adhered to by every Certified Divorce Lending Professional.

A Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®) is a specialized mortgage professional with the training and education to assist individuals through divorce with their mortgage and financial needs. The designation signifies a deep understanding of the financial aspects of divorce, particularly in relation to real estate and mortgages. Effective communication and strategic negotiation are crucial to a successful divorce settlement, and integrating Divorce Mortgage Planning with a CDLP® into the settlement process leads to better outcomes for divorcing couples. Involving a CDLP® early in the settlement process sets the stage for successful mortgage financing.

Applies to all active CDLP® members and all use of Divorce Lending Association member resources, tools, and client work product.

Purpose. AI tools can be useful assistants, but the value of the CDLP® designation rests on verified professional expertise. This policy defines how AI tools may and may not be used in connection with a CDLP® practice, client information, and Divorce Lending Association materials. It exists to protect members, their clients, and the credential every member shares. This policy applies the Confidentiality, Competence, and Compliance principles of the Code of Ethics above, and works together with the Copyright and Ownership Policy below.

1. Your Work Product Is Your Professional Responsibility

Every Divorce Mortgage Planning Report™, analysis, or client deliverable issued under a member's name and CDLP® designation is that member's professional work product. It must be prepared using the official CDLP® tools and methodology, and the member is personally responsible for the accuracy of every figure, guideline reference, and recommendation it contains. AI-generated content may not be presented to a client, attorney, or referral partner as CDLP® analysis.

2. Protect Client Information

Never enter a client's nonpublic personal information into a consumer AI tool (including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, and similar services). This includes names paired with financial details, income, assets, credit information, settlement terms, or any facts of a client's divorce. Doing so may violate obligations under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, an employer's privacy and information-security policies, and the duty of confidentiality owed to the client under this Code.

3. Protect Association Materials

All Divorce Lending Association materials, including course content, the DMPR workbook, templates, guides, job aides, and training resources, are copyrighted property provided for members' exclusive professional use. They may not be uploaded to, entered into, or used to train any AI tool, and may not be used to create derivative tools, prompts, or products. See the Copyright and Ownership Policy below.

4. Permitted AI Use

Members may use AI tools for general assistance that does not involve client information or Association materials, such as polishing their own marketing copy, drafting routine business correspondence, or improving grammar and formatting, provided the output is reviewed for accuracy before use. AI may support a CDLP® practice; it may not perform it.

5. Automated Access

Automated access to the member portal, including scraping, bulk downloading, or directing AI agents or bots to access, copy, or extract portal content, is prohibited.

6. Enforcement

Violations of this policy are grounds for disciplinary investigation under the Rules and Policies above and may result in suspension or revocation of the CDLP® designation, membership, and portal access, consistent with the member agreement. Members unsure whether a particular use of AI is permitted should contact membership@divorcelendingassoc.com before proceeding.

1. Copyright Ownership and Protection

The Divorce Lending Association (DLA) is the exclusive copyright holder of all content published, distributed, and created under its brand, including but not limited to:

• Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®) curriculum and materials
• Real Estate Mediation Specialist (REM-S™) training and materials
• Articles, blog posts, newsletters, and research papers
• Social media content, including images, infographics, and captions
• Marketing materials, presentations, and digital media
• Proprietary methodologies, concepts, and strategic frameworks

All DLA-owned content is protected under U.S. copyright law, and unauthorized use, reproduction, or modification of any portion of these materials is strictly prohibited.

2. Unauthorized Use and Direct Copyright Infringement

Copyright infringement occurs when any individual, organization, or entity reproduces, copies, distributes, modifies, or publicly displays DLA content, including CDLP® and REM-S™ materials, without express written permission. Examples of direct infringement include:

• Republishing DLA blog posts, articles, or social media content without authorization.
• Using CDLP® or REM-S™ methodologies in other training programs, courses, or educational materials.
• Copying DLA-owned graphics, infographics, or training slides for commercial use.
• Repurposing DLA marketing materials to promote unrelated or competing services.
• Uploading DLA materials to, or entering them into, any AI tool, or using them to train or build AI-based tools or products (see the AI Use Policy above).

Any unauthorized use of DLA-owned content may result in legal action.

3. Copying with Modification

Making minor modifications to DLA-owned materials does not eliminate copyright protection. Even if content is reworded, restructured, or reformatted, it remains protected intellectual property if the core message, structure, or methodology is retained. Unauthorized copying with modification includes:

• Rewriting DLA blog posts or social media captions while keeping the same concepts and messaging.
• Modifying CDLP® or REM-S™ training concepts while maintaining the same structure and application.
• Slightly altering DLA-created graphics or infographics while keeping the same visual design or intent.

4. Determining Substantial Similarity

Even if materials are not copied word-for-word, they may still constitute infringement if they are substantially similar to DLA content. Courts determine substantial similarity based on:

• Thematic and conceptual overlap: if an unauthorized work mirrors the educational structure, strategic approach, or proprietary methodologies of DLA content, it is infringing.
• Recognizable duplication: if a reader or audience member can identify the new content as being derived from DLA materials, it is considered a substantial copy.
• Overall presentation and delivery: even if wording is changed, the core educational strategy and concepts remain protected.

5. Transformative Use vs. Copyright Infringement

Transformative use occurs when content is significantly altered in purpose, meaning, or message beyond the original intent. The following do not qualify as transformative use:

• Rewording DLA content while keeping the same key strategies, training principles, or messaging.
• Using DLA-owned methodologies to create a competing certification, training, or advisory offering.
• Slightly altering DLA articles, blog posts, or social media content while retaining their original themes and intent.

True transformative use must create an entirely new and original body of work that is not derived from, dependent on, or replicating DLA content.

6. Fair Use Considerations

"Fair use" allows limited use of copyrighted materials under specific circumstances, such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, or research. However, most uses of DLA content do not qualify as fair use. Unauthorized use is not fair use if:

• It is for commercial purposes, such as paid training, marketing, or advisory services.
• It reproduces a significant portion of the DLA curriculum, blog posts, or training.
• It competes with or diminishes the market value of CDLP®, REM-S™, or other DLA offerings.

If you are unsure whether your use qualifies as fair use, you must seek written permission from the Divorce Lending Association before proceeding.

7. Social Media Content and Online Publications

All content published by the Divorce Lending Association on social media platforms, blogs, newsletters, and websites is protected under copyright law. This includes:

• DLA-created graphics, infographics, and branding materials
• CDLP® and REM-S™ quotes, statistics, and educational posts
• Social media captions, written posts, and marketing messages
• Webinar recordings, podcast episodes, and video content

Any replication, reproduction, or modification of DLA-published digital content without explicit permission is a violation of copyright law and subject to enforcement actions.

8. Enforcement and Legal Action

The Divorce Lending Association actively monitors and enforces its copyright protections. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or modification of DLA, CDLP®, or REM-S™ materials may result in:

• Cease-and-desist orders
• DMCA takedown requests (for online and digital content)
• Legal action for copyright infringement and financial damages

9. Requesting Permission for Use

The Divorce Lending Association retains full copyright ownership over all of its content, including CDLP® and REM-S™ materials, blog posts, articles, social media content, and marketing materials. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or modification is a violation of U.S. copyright law and may result in legal action. Written permission is required to use or reference DLA content.