Defense lawyer creates scholarship for students affected by the criminal justice system

PHOENIX - Courts can be expensive, so a Phoenix area attorney is helping students with a new scholarship.

"Families, wives, kids, husbands, people who are left in the wake," said Christian Lueders.

The backstory:

For years, Lueders has worked as a defense attorney, and has seen firsthand how it impacts so many that aren't even involved in the case.

"It can be pretty heartbreaking, seeing what happens to everyone involved," Lueders said. "Obviously, the catastrophic effects of what they go through, but for our clients as well. We see what their families go through with collateral damage." 

The costs can really add up, sometimes making life financially challenging for kids.

"You have someone accused of a crime, legal fees get astronomical, court fees get astronomical, a lot of times they're incarcerated, and it devastates their family," Lueders said.

Big picture view:

This year, Guardian Law has started a new scholarship specifically designed for Arizona students that have been impacted by the courts in some way.

"This can be kids of parents who have been affected, charged with a crime, maybe incarcerated, maybe victims of a crime, but it's really anyone who has a direct impact from the criminal justice system," Lueders said.

What's next:

Now, the scholarship will be awarded to one person, but Lueders hopes the future scholarship will only grow to help more students in the future.