Eligibility: Prosecutors

An attorney who is continually licensed to practice law, and is a full-time employee of a state or a unit of local government (including tribal government) in Oklahoma, and who prosecutes criminal or juvenile delinquency cases at the state or a unit of local government level (including supervision, education, or training of other persons prosecuting such cases).

Elected officials and federal prosecutors are not eligible for loan repayment assistance through JRJ.

Eligibility: Public Defenders

An attorney who is continually licensed to practice law, and is a full-time employee of a state or unit of local government (including tribal government) in Oklahoma, and who provides legal representation to indigent persons in criminal or juvenile delinquency cases (including supervision, education, or training of other persons providing such representation);

OR

A full-time employee of a nonprofit organization operating under a contract with a state or unit of local government in Oklahoma, who devotes substantially all of the employee's full-time employment to providing legal representation to indigent persons in criminal or juvenile delinquency cases (including supervision, education, or training of other persons providing such representation);

OR

A full-time federal defender attorney in a defender organization pursuant to subsection (g) of section 3006A of Title 18, United States Code, that provides legal representation to indigent persons in criminal or juvenile delinquency cases. 42 U.S.C. §3797cc-21(b)(2).

Elected officials, private counsel who do court appointed work, and part-time solicitors or contract employees are not eligible for loan repayment assistance through JRJ.

Conditions to Receiving Assistance

All persons receiving payment assistance must sign a Certification of Agreement pledging to remain employed as a full-time public defender or prosecutor for a period of three years from the date of the award. If the recipient voluntarily terminates employment within the three year period or is involuntarily terminated for misconduct, the recipient must repay to the federal government all assistance awarded up to that point.

Disqualifying Condition

An otherwise eligible attorney will not be considered for participation in the program if the applicant is in default on the repayment of any federal student loan.

Click here to view the BJA's Federal program requirements.

Loans Eligible for Repayment Assistance

Federal Stafford Loans

Federal Graduate PLUS Loans

Federal Consolidation Loans

Federal Perkins Loans

How to Apply