Bismarck expected to open second domestic violence court in the state

GRAND FORKS — Bismarck is expected to open the second domestic violence court in the state in December, with the one in Grand Forks County serving as its model. The Grand Forks County Domestic Violence Court, or GFDVC, was established in 2018 by the Northeast Central Judicial District in collaboration with the Community Violence Intervention Center, or CVIC. It s a post-conviction court that aims to better monitor compliance, increase offender accountability and reduce recidivism. We are serving as a bit of a model for what they re building (in Bismarck), said Lindy Merck, the director of marketing and communications at CVIC. They re kind of taking our blueprint and using that as sort of the foundation to replicate not just in Bismarck, but it s feasible that that could be replicated in other areas throughout the state as well. Bismarck s domestic violence court is expected to start Dec. 1. It will be tailored to the needs of the area instead of an exact replica of G