JRJ Program Announcement


 John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program

The Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts is pleased to support the John R. Justice Program (JRJ Program) in Arizona.

Congress enacted the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act (42 U.S.C. § 3797cc-21), named for the late John Reid, Justice of South Carolina, to encourage qualified attorneys to choose careers as prosecutors and public defenders and to continue in that service. The JRJ Program provides loan repayment assistance for local, state, and federal public defenders and local and state prosecutors who commit to continued employment as public defenders and prosecutors for at least three years.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) allots funding to participating states based on the total population of each state according to the latest available census data. Participating states are required to equally distribute their award allotment between prosecutors and public defenders. In fiscal year 2015, 12 attorneys serving as public defenders and 13 attorneys serving as prosecutors received between $1,375 and $1,490 each through the JRJ Program. Awards are renewable; however, all awards are subject to federal funding.

Click here to learn more about the JRJ Program, including eligibility criteria and how to apply.