John R. Justice (JRJ) Student Loan Repayment Program for Public Defenders and Prosecutors

The Oklahoma District Attorneys Council (DAC) is pleased to announce that DAC has been designated by the U.S. Department of Justice to award and disburse loan repayment assistance through the John R. Justice (JRJ) Loan Repayment Program. For the 2012-13 awards, the State of Oklahoma has received a total of $53,260.60 to be divided among eligible full-time public defenders and prosecutors who have outstanding qualifying federal student loans.

The DAC is currently accepting Renewal Applications only.  Renewal applications must be postmarked no later than March 29, 2013.

Applications for new applicants are currently not being accepted at this time. Please check back at a later date.

 

ELIGIBILITY: PROSECUTORS

An attorney who is continually licensed to practice law and is a full-time employee of a state or local unit of government (including tribal government) in Oklahoma and prosecutes criminal or juvenile delinquency cases at the State or 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 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 repayment assistance must sign a Certification of Agreement pledging to remain employed as a full-time 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, all assistance awarded up to that point must be repaid to the federal government.

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.

LOANS ELGIBILE FOR REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE

Federal Stafford Loans

Federal Graduate PLUS Loans

Federal Consolidation Loans

Federal Perkins Loans

HOW TO APPLY

Go to Steps to Apply New Applicants- We are not accepting new applications at this time. 

Go to Steps to Apply Renewal Applicants

 

 

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JRJ GRANT BOARD MEMBERS

Julie A. Bays
Assistant Attorney General

William P. Earley
First Assistant, Federal Public Defender, Western District

Jason Hicks
District Attorney, District 6

Charles “Tim” Laughlin
Chief – Non-Capital Trial Division, OIDS

Danny L. Lyon
Public Defender for the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma

David W. Prater
District Attorney, District 7

James Edwin Saunders
Municipal Criminal Court

James E. Saunders
City of Tulsa PD

Craig Sutter
Deputy Executive Director, OIDS

Laura Yates
Criminal Justice Division of OKC Municipal Counselors Office

 

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FAQS

Is this a one-time award or can I apply for the award more than once?

Once approved for loan repayment, there is a rebuttable presumption that a beneficiary/recipient will be given priority consideration to receive funding during the second and third years of the three year service agreement, depending on the availability of funds. Renewal is not automatic and nothing shall obligate the JRJ Program to renew a benefit in the same (or greater) amount previously received by a beneficiary.

Are there limitations regarding the number of years an attorney has been practicing?

There are no statutory or BJA imposed limitations regarding the number of years an attorney must practice before becoming eligible to apply for loan repayment benefits. While states have the discretion to impose such a limitation, Oklahoma’s JRJ Grant Board has chosen not to do so at this time. 

What is considered full-time employment for the purpose of this solicitation?

Full-time employment is considered “not less than 75% of a 40 hour work week” for the purpose of this solicitation.

Does the 75% rule relate to the number of hours worked or to the actual time dedicated to either prosecution or defense duties?

The 75% rule relates to the percentage of time a full-time prosecutor or defender actually devotes to prosecution or defense specific duties.  If the attorney serves as a part-time prosecutor or defender, then 75% (or 30 hours) of their standard “40 hour workweek” must be dedicated to prosecution or defense specific duties.  

Does a person have to be employed full-time at the time of selection to be eligible?

Not necessarily, but an applicant must be a “full-time employee” of a State or unit of local government (in the case of “prosecutors) or a “full-time employee” of a State, unit of local government, qualifying non-profit organization (under 42 U.S.C. §3797cc-21(b)(2)(B)(ii)) or qualifying full-time Federal defender (under 42 U.S.C. § 3797cc-21(b)(2)(B)(iii)) prior to actual receipt of benefits.

Are appellate attorneys handling criminal or juvenile delinquency case appeals eligible for this program?

Yes, provided they otherwise meet the definition of a full-time “prosecutor” or “public defender” under the statute.

Are attorneys who handle an exclusively civil caseload, such as civil forfeiture or dependency cases, eligible for this program?

No.

What is considered a qualifying student loan for this program?

Federal Stafford Loans (whether subsidized or unsubsidized), Federal Perkins Loans and Federal GRAD PLUS Loans are qualifying student loans. Federal Parent PLUS Loans and third-party, private alternative loans are not qualifying student loans. Note that if you borrowed a Federal Stafford or GRAD PLUS loan through a private lender (under the Federal Family Education Loan Program—FFELP), such a loan would be a qualifying student loan for this program.

Are loans that were purchased or sold by the original holder eligible for payment?

Loans purchased or sold by the original holder are eligible for payment, assuming the other conditions of the statute (and the solicitation and guidelines) are met. The requester must submit proof that the original loan qualified under the JRJ statute.

How do I provide verification that my loans meet the eligibility requirements of the JRJ Program using the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)?

 

Only Federal student loans (both FFEL and Direct loans) are eligible for JRJ assistance.  As student loan entities such as SallieMae and AES service both private or federal loans, Oklahoma requires JRJ applicants to verify their loans meet eligibility requirements by using the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).  The NSLDS website is located at  https://www.nslds.ed.gov/nslds_SA/SaPrivacyConfirmation.do .  The NSLDS provides a centralized, integrated view of Title IV loans and grants that are tracked through their entire cycle; from aid approval through closure.  You can use the website to make inquiries about your Title IV loans and/or grants.  Moreover, the site displays information on loan and/or grant amounts, outstanding balances, loan statuses, and disbursements. 

 

To verify your loans meet the eligibility requirements of the JRJ Program, log into the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and generate a federal student loan NSLDS statement.  To access your information, you will need to enter the following:  your SSN, the first 2 letters of your last name, your date of birth, and a PIN.  If you have never utilized the system, you will need to create a PIN. 

 

How do I get a PIN?  You can request a PIN at the PIN web site

What if I forget my PIN?  You can get a copy of your PIN or a new PIN at the PIN web site

Can my PIN be changed?  Yes. It is highly recommended that you request to change your PIN, if you think it is not secure or has been compromised.

Is my PIN for the NSLDS Student Access web site the same as my PIN for the FAFSA web site? 
Yes. Your PIN can be used on the FAFSA web site as well as on the NSLDS Student Access web site.

What happens if I enter my PIN and other identifiers and no data appears? 
If you have received Title IV loans and/or grants, there can be several reasons that no data appears. It takes your loan holder 30 to 45 days to get the information into NSLDS. If more than 60 days have passed since you received your loan, contact the school's financial aid office that processed your loan. They can tell you why your loan or grant has not been reported to NSLDS.  Also, make sure that your Social Security number, birth date, and first two letters of your last name that you entered match your financial aid records. You can check with the school to see if an error was made in the processing of your loan information.

 

Note, if you have to apply for a PIN, it may take a couple of days before the PIN number you are assigned is activated.  Once your PIN is activated, click on the “Financial Aid Review” tab.  From there you should be a few clicks away from accessing your federal loan information.  Print a “statement” listing all of your federal student loans and their status.  All Oklahoma 2011-12 JRJ applications must include a copy of this statement.

 

Will all applicants receive assistance? If not, how will the board prioritize the need for assistance?

Due to a limited funding source and an anticipated high volume of requests, all eligible applicants are not guaranteed funding.  As such, priority for this program may be based on any combination of type of service, length of service, student loan debt to Adjusted Gross Income ratio, duration of loan repayment, employment and demographics.

How is the amount of awards determined?

JRJ Program awards will be made by the John R. Justice (JRJ) Grant Board.  The total amount of benefits funded with JRJ funding will be equally divided between prosecutors and public defenders.  For the 2011-12 JRJ funds, the JRJ Grant Board has established an award amount of $3,000 for all applicants who are chosen as grant recipients.  Within the two employment categories, priority will be given to those attorneys who have the least ability to repay their student loans.  An applicant’s total eligible educational debt to Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) ratio will be a major factor considered by the JRJ Grant Board when making this assessment.  However, as noted in Question 10 above, this ratio is not the sole factor the JRJ Grant Board may utilize in determining priority.

Additionally, awards will spread among geographic and population density to ensure that funding is not isolated or heavily concentrated in any particular metropolitan area or geographic section of the state. Widespread distribution between rural and urban areas and amongst all quadrants of the state will be ensured.

When and how will I be notified about my application status?

The JRJ Grant Board will meet in late May to make funding decisions.  While meetings of the JRJ Grant Board are Open Meetings, applicants are not required to attend.  The Board’s funding decisions will be based solely upon the information provided in each qualified applicant’s JRJ Application Packets.  Applicants will receive award notices indicating whether they received grant funding no later than June 15, 2012.  Actual payment of awards to lenders will occur before the end of September.  The DAC will mail letters to each grant recipient informing them when payment has been sent.  

Will the loan repayment award be sent to me or my lender/servicer?  

The Oklahoma District Attorneys Council (DAC) will distribute awards directly to your lender/servicer based on the information you provide.  Eligible prosecutors and defenders are encouraged to talk with their individual lenders about how this payment will be applied.  The DAC as the dispersing agency will not negotiate with lenders about how payments are to be applied.  Payments will be made to lenders annually on a single date.  The JRJ Program will not be held responsible for any late fees assessed by the lending institution.

How will my award be applied to my loan?

How the award will be applied by your lender is up to the lender, not the JRJ Program. You should discuss this with your lender. Different lenders may have different policies, although typically a lender will apply an award to outstanding interest before outstanding principal.

What happens if I change jobs?

Beneficiaries who change jobs, but remain in continual, eligible employment in Oklahoma will continue to be eligible for current or renewed benefits to the same extent as those who did not change employment.

 

Have a JRJ question?  Mail: JRJ Questions

 

Federal program requirements may be viewed at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/johnrjustice.html

Bureau of Justice Assistance JRJ FAQS: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/10JRJFAQ.pdf

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Oklahoma’s John R. Justice (JRJ) Student Loan Repayment Program

Steps to Renew

 

1. Read, complete and sign the JRJ 2012 -2013 Request for Renewal Application Packet.   Fillable form can be found here: JRJ 2012 -2013  Request for Renewal Application Packet

    

2. Complete and sign the Federal Form W-9.  Applicants only need to complete name and address as individual/sole proprietor, include social security number in Part I and sign in Part II.  Please submit only page one of the form (the remaining 3 pages are additional instructions for the applicant only).  Fillable form can be found here: W9 Form

    

3. If applicant is NOT currently employed by the State of Oklahoma, complete and sign the Vendor/Payee Form.  Fillable form can be found here:  Vendor/Payee form  Sample with Required Fields: Sample

 

 

Steps to Apply - New Applicants - We are currently not accepting new applications.

1. Read, complete and sign the Federal Service Agreement.  Fillable form can be found here:  https://www.bja.gov/Funding/JRJ_Service_Agreement.pdf

    

2. Read, complete and sign the JRJ 2011-2012 Application Packet.  Note the application packet includes four (4) sections, an Employment Verification form, which must be signed by the applicant and the applicant’s employer, and a Loan Verification form.  Additionally, applicants are required to submit the following: 1) copies of applicant's most recent federal and state tax returns and 2) verifiction of loan eligibility as outlined in the application packet.  Fillable form can be found here: JRJ 2011 -2012 Application Packet

    

3. Complete and sign the Federal Form W-9.  Applicants only need to complete name and address as individual/sole proprietor, include social security number in Part I and sign in Part II.  Please submit only page one of the form (the remaining 3 pages are additional instructions for the applicant only).  Fillable form can be found here: W9 Form

    

4. If applicant is NOT currently employed by the State of Oklahoma, complete and sign the Vendor/Payee Form.  Fillable form can be found here:  Vendor/Payee form  Sample with Required Fields: Sample

 

District Attorneys Council
JRJ Student Repayment Program
Attn: Lee Cohlmia
421 N.W. 13th Street, Suite 290
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103