---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 1078–12"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "1078–12"
heading: "Loan repayment for civil legal assistance attorneys"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/1078-12"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance"
  - "Subchapter IV — Student Assistance"
  - "Part B — Federal Family Education Loan Program"
---

# §1078–12. Loan repayment for civil legal assistance attorneys

- (a) **Purpose—** The purpose of this section is to encourage qualified individuals to enter and continue employment as civil legal assistance attorneys.
- (b) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Civil legal assistance attorney—** The term “civil legal assistance attorney” means an attorney who—
    - (A) is a full-time employee of—
      - (i) a [nonprofit](/usc/20/1003.md?p=13) organization that provides legal assistance with respect to civil matters to [low-income individuals](/usc/20/1058.md?p=g) without a fee; or
      - (ii) a protection and advocacy system or client assistance program that provides legal assistance with respect to civil matters and receives [funding](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=4) under—
        - (I) subtitle C of title I of the Developmental [Disabilities](/usc/20/1003.md?p=6) Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 ([42 U.S.C. 15041](/usc/42/15041.md) et seq.);
        - (II) section [732](/usc/29/732.md) or [794e](/usc/29/794e.md) of title 29;
        - (III) part A of title I of the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act ([42 U.S.C. 10801](/usc/42/10801.md) et seq.);
        - (IV) [section 3004 of title 29](/usc/29/3004.md);
        - (V) [section 1320b–21 of title 42](/usc/42/1320b–21.md);
        - (VI) [section 300d–53 of title 42](/usc/42/300d–53.md); or
        - (VII) [section 21061 of title 52](/usc/52/21061.md);
    - (B) as such employee, provides civil legal assistance as described in [subparagraph (A)](#b-1-A) on a full-time basis; and
    - (C) is continually licensed to practice law.
  - (2) **Student loan—**
    - (A) **In general—** Except as provided in [subparagraph (B)](#b-2-B), the term “student [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2)” means—
      - (i) subject to [clause (ii)](#b-2-A-ii), a [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made, insured, or guaranteed under this part, part D, or part E; and
      - (ii) a [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made under section [1078–3](/usc/20/1078–3.md) or [1087e(g)](/usc/20/1087e.md?p=g) of this title, to the extent that such [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) was used to repay—
        - (I) a Federal Direct Stafford [Loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2), a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford [Loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2), or a Federal Direct PLUS [Loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2);
        - (II) a [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made under section [1078](/usc/20/1078.md), [1078–2](/usc/20/1078–2.md), or [1078–8](/usc/20/1078–8.md) of this title; or
        - (III) a [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made under part E.
    - (B) **Exclusion of parent plus loans—** The term “student [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2)” does not include any of the following [loans](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2):
      - (i) A [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made to the parents of a dependent student under [section 1078–2 of this title](/usc/20/1078–2.md).
      - (ii) A Federal Direct PLUS [Loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made to the parents of a dependent student.
      - (iii) A [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made under section [1078–3](/usc/20/1078–3.md) or [1087e(g)](/usc/20/1087e.md?p=g) of this title, to the extent that such [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) was used to repay—
        - (I) a [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made to the parents of a dependent student under [section 1078–2 of this title](/usc/20/1078–2.md); or
        - (II) a Federal Direct PLUS [Loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) made to the parents of a dependent student.
- (c) **Program authorized—** From amounts appropriated under [subsection (i)](#i) for a fiscal year, the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall carry out a program of assuming the obligation to repay a student [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2), by direct payments on behalf of a borrower to the [holder](/usc/20/1085.md?p=i) of such [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2), in accordance with [subsection (d)](#d), for any borrower who—
  - (1) is employed as a civil legal assistance attorney; and
  - (2) is not in [default](/usc/20/1085.md?p=l) on a [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) for which the borrower seeks repayment.
- (d) **Terms of agreement—**
  - (1) **In general—** To be eligible to receive repayment benefits under [subsection (c)](#c), a borrower shall enter into a written agreement with the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) that specifies that—
    - (A) the borrower will remain employed as a civil legal assistance attorney for a required period of service of not less than three years, unless involuntarily separated from that employment;
    - (B) if the borrower is involuntarily separated from employment on account of misconduct, or voluntarily separates from employment, before the end of the period specified in the agreement, the borrower will repay the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) the amount of any benefits received by such employee under this agreement;
    - (C) if the borrower is required to repay an amount to the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) under [subparagraph (B)](#d-1-B) and fails to repay such amount, a sum equal to that amount shall be recoverable by the Federal Government from the employee by such methods as are provided by law for the recovery of amounts owed to the Federal Government;
    - (D) the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) may waive, in whole or in part, a right of recovery under this subsection if it is shown that recovery would be contrary to the public [interest](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=6); and
    - (E) the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall make student [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) payments under this section for the period of the agreement, subject to the availability of appropriations.
  - (2) **Repayments—**
    - (A) **In general—** Any amount repaid by, or recovered from, an individual under this subsection shall be credited to the appropriation account from which the amount involved was originally paid.
    - (B) **Merger—** Any amount credited under [subparagraph (A)](#d-2-A) shall be merged with other sums in such account and shall be available for the same purposes and period, and subject to the same limitations, if any, as the sums with which the amount was merged.
  - (3) **Limitations—**
    - (A) **Student loan payment amount—** Student [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) repayments made by the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) under this section shall be made subject to such terms, limitations, or conditions as may be mutually agreed upon by the borrower and the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) in an agreement under [paragraph (1)](#d-1), except that the amount paid by the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) under this section shall not exceed—
      - (i) $6,000 for any borrower in any calendar year; or
      - (ii) an aggregate total of $40,000 in the case of any borrower.
    - (B) **Beginning of payments—** Nothing in this section shall authorize the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) to pay any amount to reimburse a borrower for any repayments made by such borrower prior to the date on which the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) entered into an agreement with the borrower under this subsection.
- (e) **Additional agreements—**
  - (1) **In general—** On completion of the required period of service under an agreement under [subsection (d)](#d), the borrower and the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) may, subject to [paragraph (2)](#e-2), enter into an additional agreement in accordance with [subsection (d)](#d).
  - (2) **Term—** An agreement entered into under [paragraph (1)](#e-1) may require the borrower to remain employed as a civil legal assistance attorney for less than three years.
- (f) **Award basis; priority—**
  - (1) **Award basis—** Subject to [paragraph (2)](#f-2), the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall provide repayment benefits under this section on a first-come, first-served basis, and subject to the availability of appropriations.
  - (2) **Priority—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall give priority in providing repayment benefits under this section in any fiscal year to a borrower who—
    - (A) has practiced law for five years or less and, for not less than 90 percent of the time in such practice, has served as a civil legal assistance attorney;
    - (B) received repayment benefits under this section during the preceding fiscal year; and
    - (C) has completed less than three years of the first required period of service specified for the borrower in an agreement entered into under [subsection (d)](#d).
- (g) **Ineligibility for double benefits—** No borrower may, for the same service, receive a reduction of [loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) obligations under both this section and section [1078–11](/usc/20/1078–11.md) or [1087e(m)](/usc/20/1087e.md?p=m) of this title.
- (h) **Regulations—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) is authorized to issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section.
- (i) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the five succeeding fiscal years.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 428L, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title IV, § 431, Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3242.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, referred to in (b)(1)(A)(ii)(I), is Pub. L. 106–402, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1677. Subtitle C of title I of the Act is classified generally to part C (§ 15041 et seq.) of subchapter I of chapter 144 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 15001 of Title 42 and Tables.

The Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(A)(ii)(III), is Pub. L. 99–319, May 23, 1986, 100 Stat. 478. Part A of title I of the Act is classified generally to part A (§ 10801 et seq.) of subchapter I of chapter 114 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 10801 of Title 42 and Tables.