Arizona_Supreme_Court_SealNews from the Arizona Supreme Court:

The Administrative Office of the Courts is pleased to announce the approval of Arizona’s application for funding through the John R. Justice Program. The goal of the JRJ Program is to recruit and retain qualified prosecutors and public defenders by lessening the burden of student loan obligations.

“Acknowledging the need to recruit and retain lawyers who ensure the integrity of our criminal justice system, Congress enacted the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act (42 U.S.C. § 3797cc-21) to encourage qualified attorneys to choose and continue in careers as prosecutors and public defenders. The John R. Justice Program (JRJ), named for the late John Reid, Justice of South Carolina, provides loan repayment assistance for state and federal public defenders and state prosecutors who agree to remain employed as public defenders and prosecutors for at least three years.”

The Bureau of Justice Assistance has authorized a funding allotment of $35,767 to Arizona for this program. The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) is supporting the effort in Arizona by acting as administrator for the JRJ Program. Last year, the AOC awarded JRJ grant funding to 25 public defenders and prosecutors statewide. Fortunately, this year, federal funding availability remained relatively the same as last year; as such, the AOC will strive to award the JRJ grant to similar numbers of public sector attorneys this year.

Prosecutors and public defenders are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to be considered for awards under the JRJ Program. Applications must be postmarked by Friday, October 30, 2015.

Information about eligibility, the application process and required materials can be found on the Arizona Judicial Branch website.