Justice Department Launches 2025 Access to Justice Prize to Address Rural Justice Gap

The Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice has announced the launch of the Access to Justice Prize, a year-long prize competition that aims to foster innovative solutions to address critical gaps in access to justice across the United States.

The inaugural competition will focus on access to justice gaps faced by rural communities across the country, aiming to advance general public awareness about rural access to justice gaps, prompt and support the development of new and innovative solutions, and promote the replication and expansion of strategies that work.

“Through our engagement with courts, justice practitioners, legal aid providers, academic institutions and other organizations across the country, we’ve heard loud and clear that solutions to close the rural justice gap must begin with rural communities themselves,” said Director Rachel Rossi of the Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice. “Through the Access to Justice Prize competition, we further this approach, empowering those who best know the barriers their communities face to drive the effective solutions that will ensure access to justice for all, regardless of geography.”

Nationwide access to justice barriers is often exacerbated for rural Americans, especially when unique circumstances like long travel times, limited internet access or lack of attorneys are too often overlooked. A 2022 study by the Legal Services Corporation revealed that 77 per cent of low-income rural households experienced at least one civil legal problem in the previous year, with 94 per cent receiving inadequate or no legal help.

Rural criminal justice systems are also strained by part-time judges, contract defence counsel and lacking prosecutorial resources. Studies demonstrate that recruitment and retention challenges are increasing for criminal justice careers in rural areas, including for public defenders, prosecutors and law enforcement. Rural courts face rising caseloads, delays, uneven workloads among judges and lack of resources.

The 2025 Access to Justice Prize aims to inspire and support innovative ideas that address these challenges by engaging those closest to the issues — rural courts, practitioners and organizations. Eligible participants are encouraged to submit proposals for any solutions that expand access to justice, including, for example, solutions to increase access to legal representation, assistance or information; simplify legal processes, systems, forms or language; leverage technology to enhance legal system efficiency; expand access for underserved rural populations, including Tribal communities and individuals with disabilities; and build innovative partnerships to address local justice needs.

Below is the timeline for the year-long Access to Justice Prize competition cycle:

• January 7: Submissions open
• March 31: Submission deadline
• April 30: Finalists announced
• May 1 – Oct. 31: Refinement Phase
• Early December 2025: Grand Prize Showcase and winner announcement

More information and additional examples can be found here. The competition will run on a one-year cycle, starting in January 2025, and will feature two judging phases:

Grand Prize Selection: Finalists will present their solutions at an Access to Justice Showcase, where judges will select the grand prize winner to receive $50,000.Applicants are encouraged to visit the Access to Justice Prize website on Challenge.gov to review eligibility requirements, submission guidelines, and resources. The Office for Access to Justice will also present an informational webinar on February 11 at 3:00 p.m. EST. Applications may be submitted beginning on January 7 and must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on March 31.

Finalist Selection: Up to five finalists will receive $5,000 each and then refine their proposals over a six-month phase in preparation to compete for the grand prize.