Bill > HR3815

This bill, known as the "True Justice Act of 2025", authorizes the Attorney General to establish two key grant programs to improve legal representation for individuals after criminal arrest. First, the bill allows grants to States, local governments, and public defender offices to provide legal representation during judicial proceedings following an arrest, including initial court appearances. Second, the bill creates grants for training public defenders, court-appointed attorneys, and contract attorneys on best practices for representing individuals in these proceedings. Entities seeking grants must submit applications with required information, and grant amounts will be determined based on factors like technology and training costs, and the size of the justice system the entity operates within. The bill explicitly states Congress's belief that the constitutional right to counsel established in the landmark Gideon v. Wainwright Supreme Court case applies to all post-arrest proceedings. To support these initiatives, the bill authorizes $50 million in appropriations annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030, aimed at ensuring more robust and effective legal representation for individuals at critical stages of the criminal justice process.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3815/all-info