True Justice Act of 2025

This bill would help people get a lawyer right after they are arrested, including at their first court appearance. It lets the U.S. Attorney General give grants to states, local governments, and public defender offices to provide legal help in these early court steps. It also funds training for public defenders, court‑appointed lawyers, and contract lawyers on how to best represent people at these stages. The Attorney General would set grant amounts by looking at technology and training needs and the size of each justice system, including Tribal systems. The bill authorizes $50 million per year from 2026 through 2030. It also states that the right to a lawyer applies to all post‑arrest proceedings.

Key points:

• Who is affected: people who are arrested; public defender offices; states, local governments, and Tribal organizations; nonprofits that train defense lawyers.
• What changes: new federal grants for early-stage legal representation and for training defense lawyers; grant sizes consider tech/training costs and system size.
• When: funding is authorized for fiscal years 2026–2030.