TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Feb 25, 2026

Dickson Judge Shipp Robbley Weems died Nov. 14, 2025, at age 77. While attending the Nashville YMCA Night Law School (now Nashville School of Law), Weems was a teacher at White Bluff Elementary School. At the age of 29, he became the youngest Dickson city judge of record. In 1986, he established the state's first Public Defender Pilot Program. Following its success, the state adopted the model, leading to the creation of the Public Defender’s Office as it exists today. Weems also served as the elected public defender in Dickson County and surrounding counties for several decades, then served as assistant public defender in Columbia and its surrounding counties until retirement. In 2025, Weems’ daughter established the Weems-Rezapour Family Scholarship for Justice and Public Service in his honor. The scholarship supports high school seniors in Florida (where she lives and practices) who demonstrate integrity, civic engagement and a commitment to careers connected to justice and community leadership. Donations in Weems’ memory can be made here.