Ty Pinkins

The Project

Ty will advocate on behalf of indigent individuals in some of Mississippi’s most underserved communities by helping pro se litigants navigate the court system.

Indigent litigants are in desperate need of civil legal representation and, unable to find it, they are driven to economic subjugation. The Legal Services Corporation estimates that there is only one free lawyer for every 6,415 indigent citizens in America. With studies suggesting that litigation with representation increases a litigant’s odds by 75%, there is a growing cycle of failure for the poor and marginalized. People do not have access to the representation that would so drastically improve their chances of success.  

 This is particularly true in Mississippi, a state with a poverty rate of 19%, nearly 8% higher than the rest of the country. Over 50% of the state’s population is in liquid asset poverty. With no protection in civil matters, many Mississippians fall into a void of economic oppression where garnished wages take as much as 25% out of paychecks in a state that already has the lowest median family and per capita income in the country. 

Ty is dedicated to public service and committed to developing resources to help underserved communities. 

Fellowship Plans

Ty will implement a Justice Court Navigator Program in some of Mississippi’s most underserved communities to empower pro se litigants involved in civil cases to overcome barriers and understand and navigate the court system. He will work to create sustainable support centers that will continue to educate and aid individuals who would otherwise enter the court system without an attainable avenue for success.