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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="4-704" title_number="4" title_name="Spouses" subtitle_number="7" subtitle_name="Local Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The purpose of a local team is to prevent deaths related to domestic violence by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>promoting cooperation and coordination among agencies involved in:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>investigating deaths related to domestic violence; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>providing services to victims of domestic violence, abusers, or surviving family members;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>developing an understanding of the causes and incidence of deaths related to domestic violence in the county; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>developing plans for and recommending changes within the agencies the members represent.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>To achieve its purpose, a local team shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>establish and implement a protocol for the local team;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>as provided in subsection (c) of this section, review fatalities and cases of serious physical injury related to domestic violence that have occurred in the county;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>meet on a regular basis as determined by the local team, at least annually, to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>review the status of domestic violence fatality cases in the county;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>recommend actions to improve coordination of services and investigations among member agencies; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>recommend actions within the member agencies to prevent deaths related to domestic violence; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>provide reports that include recommendations:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>to improve coordination of services and investigations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>to implement changes recommended by the local team within member agencies; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>on needed changes to State and local law, policy, and practice to prevent deaths related to domestic violence.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection, a local team shall determine the number and types of cases the team will review.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A local team may review criminal cases only at the conclusion of the case in trial court or after the investigation of a suicide has been closed.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
