Ind. Code § 12-18-8-1 "Coalition"
Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "coalition" refers to the Indiana coalition against domestic violence.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6.
Ind. Code ch. 12-18-8
Ind. Code ch. 12-18-8
in effectInd. Code § 12-18-8-2 "Domestic violence"
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "domestic violence" has the meaning set forth in IC 34-6-2.1-50.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.186-2025, SEC.98.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-3 "Family or household member"
Sec. 3. (a) As used in this chapter, an individual is a "family or household member" of another person if the individual:
(1) is a current or former spouse of the other person;
(2) is dating or has dated the other person;
(3) is or was engaged in a sexual relationship with the other person;
(4) is related by blood or adoption to the other person;
(5) is or was related by marriage to the other person;
(6) cohabits or formerly cohabited with the other person; or
(7) has or previously had an established legal relationship:
(A) as a guardian of the other person;
(B) as a ward of the other person;
(C) as a custodian of the other person;
(D) as a foster parent of the other person; or
(E) in a capacity with respect to the other person similar to those listed in clauses (A) through (D).
(b) As used in this chapter, an individual is a "family or household member" of both persons to whom subsection (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5), (a)(6), or (a)(7) applies if the individual is a minor child of one (1) of the persons.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-4 Repealed
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.97-2004, SEC.53. Repealed by P.L.258-2017, SEC.4.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-5 "Local domestic violence fatality review team"
Sec. 5. As used in this chapter, "local domestic violence fatality review team" means the county or regional domestic violence fatality review team established under this chapter.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-6 County domestic violence fatality review teams
Sec. 6. (a) A county may establish a county domestic violence fatality review team for the purpose of reviewing a death resulting from or in connection with domestic violence. The team shall review only:
(1) a fatality in which the death results from:
(A) domestic violence; or
(B) suicide, in a case of domestic violence; or
(2) a near fatality, in a case in which a victim of domestic violence suffers a life threatening injury.
(b) The legislative body (as defined in IC 36-1-2-9) of a county must determine by majority vote if the county will establish a local domestic violence fatality review team.
(c) If a county elects not to establish a county domestic violence fatality review team, the county may join with one (1) or more other counties that have not established a county domestic violence fatality review team and form a regional domestic violence fatality review team.
(d) To establish a regional domestic violence fatality review team as described in subsection (c), the legislative body of each county comprising the region must cast a majority of votes in favor of establishing a regional domestic violence fatality review team.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.44-2004, SEC.1; P.L.162-2011, SEC.1; P.L.258-2017, SEC.5.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-7 Duties
Sec. 7. (a) A local domestic violence fatality review team shall do the following:
(1) Assist a local agency in identifying and reviewing a homicide, suicide, or near fatality that results from domestic violence.
(2) Develop recommendations for coordinated community prevention and intervention strategies to prevent future homicides, suicides, or near fatalities resulting from domestic violence.
(3) Collect data described in section 14 of this chapter related to a death or near fatality resulting from domestic violence.
(b) A local domestic violence fatality review team may develop a protocol to assist a person who performs an autopsy in:
(1) identifying a victim of domestic violence; and
(2) preparing a written report identifying a person as the victim of domestic violence and describing the cause of death.
(c) A local domestic violence fatality review team shall be operated in conjunction with a:
(1) local domestic violence shelter;
(2) domestic violence program; or
(3) domestic violence coordinated community response team.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.258-2017, SEC.6.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-8 Information that a domestic violence fatality review team may include in a review; immunity
Sec. 8. (a) To complete its review of a death or near fatality that it believes to have resulted from domestic violence, the local domestic violence fatality review team may review all applicable records and information related to the death or near fatality, including the following:
(1) Records held by the:
(A) Indiana department of health or local health department; and
(B) department of child services, subject to IC 31-33-18-2.
(2) Medical records.
(3) Law enforcement, court, and probation records.
(4) Autopsy reports.
(5) Records of the coroner.
(6) Mental health reports.
(b) Subject to IC 34-30-15, if the local domestic violence fatality review team requests records from a hospital, physician, coroner, law enforcement officer, or mental health professional regarding a death or near fatality that the local domestic violence fatality review team is investigating, the hospital, physician, coroner, law enforcement officer, or mental health professional shall provide the requested records to the local domestic violence fatality review team.
(c) A person who provides records in accordance with subsection (b) in good faith is not subject to liability in:
(1) a civil;
(2) an administrative;
(3) a disciplinary; or
(4) a criminal;
action that might otherwise be imposed as a result of the disclosure of the records.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this article, information and records acquired by the local domestic violence fatality review team in the exercise of its duties under this chapter are confidential and exempt from disclosure.
(e) Records, information, documents, and reports acquired or produced by the local domestic violence fatality review team are not:
(1) subject to subpoena or discovery; or
(2) admissible as evidence;
in any judicial or administrative proceeding. Information that is otherwise discoverable or admissible from original sources is not immune from discovery or use in any proceeding merely because the information was presented during proceedings before the local domestic violence fatality review team.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.97-2004, SEC.54; P.L.258-2017, SEC.7; P.L.56-2023, SEC.122.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-9 Disclosure of recommendations of a domestic violence fatality review team
Sec. 9. The recommendations of a local domestic violence fatality review team may be disclosed at the discretion of a majority of the members at the conclusion of a review.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.97-2004, SEC.55.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-10 Members of local domestic violence fatality review team
Sec. 10. (a) A local domestic violence fatality review team consists of the following members:
(1) A survivor of domestic violence.
(2) A domestic violence direct service provider.
(3) A representative of law enforcement from the area served by the local domestic violence fatality review team.
(4) A prosecuting attorney or the prosecuting attorney's designee from the area served by the local domestic violence fatality review team.
(5) An expert in the field of forensic pathology, a coroner, or a deputy coroner.
(6) A medical practitioner with expertise in domestic violence.
(7) A judge who hears civil or criminal cases.
(8) An employee of the department of child services.
(b) If a local domestic violence fatality review team is established in one (1) county, the legislative body that voted to establish the local domestic violence fatality review team under section 6 of this chapter shall:
(1) adopt an ordinance for the appointment and reappointment of members of the local domestic violence fatality review team; and
(2) appoint members to the local domestic violence fatality review team under the ordinance adopted.
(c) If a local domestic violence fatality review team is established in a region, the county legislative bodies that voted to establish the local domestic violence fatality review team under section 6 of this chapter shall:
(1) each adopt substantially similar ordinances for the appointment and reappointment of members of the local domestic violence fatality review team; and
(2) appoint members to the local domestic violence fatality review team under the ordinances adopted.
(d) A local domestic violence fatality review team may not have more than fifteen (15) members.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.97-2004, SEC.56; P.L.44-2004, SEC.2; P.L.234-2005, SEC.41.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-11 Additional members of a local domestic violence fatality review team
Sec. 11. In accordance with the ordinance adopted under section 10 of this chapter, a local domestic violence fatality review team may have the following additional members:
(1) A clergy member.
(2) A representative of county government.
(3) A representative from a county health department.
(4) A representative from a local bar association.
(5) A defense attorney.
(6) An educator.
(7) A probation officer.
(8) A representative from the business community.
(9) An animal control officer.
(10) An attorney who represents victims of domestic violence.
(11) A provider of a batterers intervention program.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-12 Chairperson
Sec. 12. (a) Any member of a local domestic violence fatality review team may serve as chairperson. The chairperson shall be elected annually by the members of the local domestic violence fatality review team at the first meeting of the local domestic violence fatality review team.
(b) The local domestic violence fatality review team shall meet at the call of the chairperson.
(c) The local domestic violence fatality review team chairperson shall determine the agenda for each meeting.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-13 Meetings
Sec. 13. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), meetings of a local domestic violence fatality review team are open to the public.
(b) Meetings of a local domestic violence fatality review team that involve:
(1) confidential records; or
(2) identifying information regarding a death;
shall be held as an executive session with the public excluded, except those persons necessary to carry out the fatality review.
(c) If an executive session is held under subsection (b), each individual who:
(1) attends a meeting of a local domestic violence fatality review team; and
(2) is not a member of the local domestic violence fatality review team;
shall sign a confidentiality agreement.
(d) A local domestic violence fatality review team shall keep all confidentiality statements signed under this section.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.97-2004, SEC.57.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-14 Data collection
Sec. 14. The coalition shall collect and document information surrounding the deaths reviewed by a local domestic violence fatality review team. The coalition shall develop a data collection form that includes the following:
(1) Identifying and nonidentifying information.
(2) Information regarding the circumstances surrounding a death.
(3) Factors contributing to a death.
(4) Findings and recommendations.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-15 Annual report
Sec. 15. The coalition's biennial report shall be made available to the public. The coalition may not charge more than the amount set by IC 5-14-3-8 to offset the cost of copying the annual report.
As added by P.L.181-2003, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.258-2017, SEC.8.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-16 Repealed
As added by P.L.44-2004, SEC.3. Repealed by P.L.258-2017, SEC.9.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-17 Local domestic violence fatality review team; immunity
Sec. 17. Members of a local domestic violence fatality review team and individuals who attend a meeting of a local domestic violence fatality review team as invitees of the chairperson:
(1) may discuss among themselves confidential matters that are before the local domestic violence fatality review team;
(2) are bound by all applicable laws regarding the confidentiality of matters reviewed by the local domestic violence fatality review team; and
(3) except when acting:
(A) with malice;
(B) in bad faith; or
(C) with gross negligence;
are immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be imposed as a result of communicating among themselves about confidential matters that are before the local domestic violence fatality review team.
As added by P.L.258-2017, SEC.10.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-18 Privileged communications of local domestic violence fatality review team
Sec. 18. The discussions, determinations, conclusions, and recommendations of a local domestic violence fatality review team or its members, concerning a review of a domestic violence fatality or near fatality, at a meeting of the local domestic violence fatality review team:
(1) are privileged; and
(2) are not:
(A) subject to subpoena or discovery; or
(B) admissible as evidence;
in any judicial or administrative proceeding.
As added by P.L.258-2017, SEC.11.
Ind. Code § 12-18-8-19 Local domestic violence fatality review team; confidentiality
Sec. 19. A local domestic violence fatality review team is subject to the confidentiality provisions of IC 31-33-18 with respect to the records held by the local domestic violence fatality review team.
As added by P.L.258-2017, SEC.12.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/12Fetched: 10/17/2026