Speaker Todd Huston District 37 | Official U.S. House headshot
Speaker Todd Huston District 37 | Official U.S. House headshot
State Representative Greg Steuerwald has introduced a bill aimed at addressing the shortage of public service attorneys in Indiana, particularly in rural areas. The legislation seeks to establish a scholarship program to encourage more law graduates to work as deputy prosecutors and public defenders.
According to the Commission on Indiana's Legal Future, where Steuerwald is a member, Indiana ranks among the bottom ten states for its number of practicing attorneys. More than half of the counties in Indiana have fewer than one lawyer per 1,000 residents, classifying them as legal deserts by the American Bar Association.
"The criminal justice system impacts the safety of all Hoosiers, and Indiana has a growing shortage of public service attorneys, especially in rural areas," said Steuerwald. "For our courts to properly enforce justice, we need to find a way to make it more financially feasible for new attorneys to practice in smaller communities."
House Bill 1049 proposes the creation of the County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and Public Defender Scholarship Program. This initiative would provide financial assistance to students attending accredited law schools in Indiana who commit to working full-time as deputy prosecuting attorneys or public defenders for at least five years within the state.
The proposed scholarships offer $20,000 annually for up to three years for full-time students and $15,000 annually for up to four years for part-time students. These amounts cover approximately 70% of total tuition costs. Recipients must meet certain academic standards and agree to fulfill the five-year employment requirement.
The Commission on Indiana's Legal Future also suggests other measures such as investing in nonprofit law firms that offer services on a sliding scale fee structure and establishing a legal incubator program to support new law firms until they become self-sufficient.
House Bill 1049 has passed unanimously through the House Education Committee and will now be reviewed by the House Ways and Means Committee.
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