A credential only means something if it can be taken away
Anyone can claim expertise in divorce and mortgages. The CDLP® designation is different in one specific way: it is governed by a written Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, and it can be suspended or revoked. That is the part worth checking, and this page tells you how.
What happens when a CDLP® breaches the code
Complaints are investigated under a defined process with rights of appeal. Four outcomes are available, and the last one is permanent.
The complaint is not upheld and the matter is closed confidentially.
A formal finding against the professional, held on record.
The right to use the CDLP® designation is withdrawn for a period.
The certification is removed. In the most serious cases, permanently.
This is why certification standing appears on every listing in our register, and why it is worth looking at before you speak to anyone.
How to check someone’s standing
Certification standing is a matter of record, not a matter of opinion. Every CORE member appears in our register with their current standing and their NMLS number, which links to the federal public licensing database.
If someone tells you they hold the CDLP® designation and you want that confirmed, ask us. Call 888-362-CDLP (2357) or email [email protected] with their name. If they are not certified, or not currently in good standing, we will tell you.
What the code covers
Ten principles govern how a CDLP® works with you, alongside three practice standards covering certification, good standing and the professional process itself.
- Integrity
- Professionalism
- Competence
- Scope
- Objectivity
- Compliance
- Fairness
- Unauthorized practice of law
- Confidentiality
- Support
There is also a written AI use policy
The association maintains a policy governing how its members may use artificial intelligence in their work, with enforcement provisions attached. Misuse is a disciplinary matter like any other breach of the code. In a field filling up with automatically generated advice, we thought you should know that someone has written the rules down.
