Today, Mississippi has the least resourced public defense system in the country. Tomorrow, we can lead the country.
A statewide campaign to make Mississippi a national leader in public defense.
There is a growing movement, led by Mississippians of all stripes, to transform access to counsel in our state. But it’s going to take all of us.
For liberty, for faith, for the Constitution, and for our future.
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WHY PUBLIC DEFENSE MATTERS
When people are denied their right to counsel, it hurts all of us. This is an issue of faith, liberty, constitutionAL RIGHTS, fairness, and freedom.
The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to legal counsel when accused of a crime, even if we can’t afford one. Yet in Mississippi, thousands of people–who are presumed innocent and haven’t been convicted of a crime–are detained for months, sometimes years, without anyone to challenge their arrest or prosecution. Mississippians lose hard-won jobs, get evicted from their homes, and even get separated from their families.
When lives are upended, it hurts our communities and our economy while costing taxpayers a fortune.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Together, we can build a public defense system that is:
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No one will be forced to face a judge and prosecutor alone. From day one of a case, Mississippians who cannot afford representation will have access to a defense attorney that will represent them continuously through the completion of the case.
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Mississippians will be provided with legal representation that is appropriately resourced to do what is necessary to mount a meaningful defense and seek the truth.
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To be able to represent Mississippians meaningfully, defense lawyers will be unburdened by excessive case loads, paid adequately and equally to prosecutors, and have access to equal resources.
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A lawyer’s experience and training will match the complexity of the case and meet clear standards to ensure their qualifications and performance.
MS Freedom Summit and Festival 2025
In April 2025, Mississippians came together from across the state–and across industries, political parties, experiences, and socioeconomic backgrounds–to commit to making Mississippi the national leader in public defense.
Building on this powerful momentum, the Defend Mississippi campaign translates this collective commitment into a statewide effort to expand access to counsel.