2024 John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program

The John R. Justice (JRJ) Grant Program provides student loan repayment assistance for local, state and federal public defenders and local and state prosecutors who commit to extended service in those roles.  All Applications and a Service Agreement along with a recent loan statement must be received or postmarked on or before January 31, 2025.   A recent monthly statement from the borrowing agency is preferred over the generic "Loan Details" print out option as the monthly statement contains the pertinent information needed.

2024 John R. Justice Grant Program Application

2024 John R. Justice Grant Service Agreements

Eligibility: For the purposes of the JRJ Program, the following beneficiaries shall be considered eligible:

Prosecutor:  full-time employee of a state or unit of local government (including tribal government) who is continually licensed to practice law and prosecutes criminal or juvenile delinquency cases at the state or local government level (including supervision, education, or training of other persons prosecuting such cases); prosecutors who are employees of the federal government are not eligible.  Elected state's attorneys are not eligible. 

Public defender: 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) who provides legal representation to indigent persons in criminal or juvenile delinquency cases, including supervision, education, or training of other persons providing such representation. 

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

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.

Application and a service agreement with original signatures must be submitted to the address below by January 31, 2025.  A recent loan STATEMENT must be included that provides the following:  (1) account number;  (2) your name on the account; and (3) bank payment mailing address.

Lynell Erickson

Office of Attorney General

1302 E. Hwy 14, Suite 1

Pierre SD 57501