Judge Shipp Robbley Weems (UT Knoxville undergraduate alum) passed away on November 14, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer. His legal career was rooted in public service, including decades defending indigent clients and helping establish Tennessee’s first Public Defender program. In his honor, the Weems-Rezapour Family Scholarship for Justice and Public Service was created to support students committed to civic leadership and justice.