2024 Oklahoma John R. Justice (JRJ) Formula Grant Program

The Oklahoma District Attorneys Council (DAC) administers the Oklahoma John R. Justice Grant Loan Repayment Program with two primary objectives: to increase the number of young lawyers entering careers as prosecutors or public defenders, and to improve the retention of experienced attorneys in these roles.

Oklahoma will use a centralized model to administer the program, ensuring a consistent, statewide approach to distributing JRJ funds. The DAC will partner with the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System (OIDS) to promote the program through electronic mail, the internet, the Oklahoma Bar Journal, and the U.S. Postal Service. Eligible prosecutors and public defenders will apply directly to the DAC, and the Oklahoma JRJ Grant Board will determine which applicants receive funding. Funding decisions will be based on criteria set by the Department of Justice, along with any additional criteria developed by the JRJ Grant Board.

As required by statute, priority will be given to applicants who received repayment benefits during the previous year, those who have completed less than three years of their first required service period, and applicants with the greatest financial need. The Board will also use U.S. Census data to ensure fair distribution of funds between Oklahoma’s two major metropolitan areas and the four rural regions specifically designated for the JRJ Program.

Although Oklahoma does not maintain a centralized database of prosecutors and public defenders, the DAC estimates that before the initial JRJ fund distribution, the state employed approximately 21 federal public defenders, 87 state public defenders, 225 contract OIDS attorneys, and 266 state prosecutors. Currently, there are approximately 18 federal public defenders, 75 state public defenders, 138 contract OIDS attorneys, and 303 state prosecutors (excluding Assistant Attorneys General and tribal prosecutors).