Judge Carlyn Hicks serves as Hinds County Court Judge for Subdistrict One, presiding over the Hinds County Youth Court, where she serves the children, youth, and families of Hinds County. Through collaborations and partnerships, Hicks has forged relationships with agencies, service organizations, and other providers across the county to better meet needs, including the implementation of several new programs, initiatives, and juvenile justice interventions to assist young people who have behavioral and mental health challenges and find themselves in need of services. Her innovative approach to this work has facilitated systemic changes in the youth court system. Hicks was instrumental in the development of one of Mississippi’s newest child advocacy centers – Central Mississippi Child Advocacy Center, thereby ensuring all felony level child victims of abuse or neglect in Hinds County have access to justice, hope, and healing. Having identified housing challenges and barriers as key indicators of family instability and its impact on child wellbeing, Hicks has sought to identify resource partners to assist families through a piloted Housing Initiative in partnership with the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission and the Mississippi Center for Justice. Additionally, Judge Hicks has implemented new diversion programming to address the needs of youth involved in the juvenile justice system in Hinds County, including but not limited to a Runaway Prevention Initiative, Life Skills Program, Youth Court Work Program, and Youth Court Mentorship Program. 

A lifelong resident of Jackson and Hinds County, Judge Hicks has had an equal longstanding commitment to the community and public interests. Widely honored for her work to improve the lives of Mississippians through access to justice and civil legal representation, and beyond, Hicks’ entire legal career has been dedicated to serving the public. A subject matter expert on state and national child welfare law, Hicks is the only judge and only African American in the state of Mississippi who is a Certified Child Welfare Law Specialist, accredited by the American Bar Association and the National Association of Counsel for Children.

Judge Hicks is a proud alumna of Jackson State University and Mississippi College School of Law. Hicks holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Jackson State University, a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Mississippi College, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Mississippi College School of Law. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She and husband Derrick Hicks have one daughter, Leigh, and they attend the historic Mount Helm Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi.