Justice Robert P. "Bobby" Chamberlin Awarded Northwest Alumni Professional Achievement Award

by Sarah Smith

Senatobia, MS (01/22/2025) — The Northwest Mississippi Community College Foundation has named Robert "Bobby" Chamberlin for the 2025 Alumni Professional Achievement Award, and will honor him at the Northwest Soiree "Masquerade Among the Stars" on March 29. The Soiree is the college's premiere fundraising and community recognition event held by the Northwest Foundation at the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts.

A Hernando native, Justice Chamberlin was elected to the Mississippi Supreme Court in November of 2016, and was re-elected for a second term in 2024. He previously served his district as a circuit judge for the 17th Circuit District which encompassed DeSoto, Panola, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Yalobusha counties.

During his career, he helped implement a circuit drug court alongside former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice, Ann Lamar.

"The drug court is a program, managed by our circuit judges, where people who come into court and find themselves in the justice system because of drug issues, are often placed into the drug court," explained Lamar. "It involves intensive supervision. It involves random and regular drug testing two and three times a week. It's about a five-year program."

Justice Chamberlin said that the implementation of drug court has been one of the most rewarding parts of his professional career, where he's seen people completely transform their lives and make a difference for the better.

"I have found it to be probably the most impactful tool that we have in the criminal justice system and the one that is most likely to change actions," said Chamberlin.

Chamberlin said that the drug court's function is to help be the change they need. Chamberlin said that along with being a tough program, it builds character and confidence in those going through it. He describes it as a second chance at life because if they graduate the program with success there's no marks on their criminal record.

The statistics of success have not only been rewarding from a data standpoint but also from a fulfilment stance. This experience, although challenging, offers these people a chance at redemption.

"It's an opportunity for addicts and people who have abusive tendencies to get, I guess, the best term for it would be tough love," said Chamberlin. "And that is, immediate responsibility for their actions, but at the same time, chances to go get help with their addictions."

Chamberlin said in the years of the drug court he'd seen many happy successes and sad failures. Chamberlin said the failures hurt, but the successes were sweet.

Outside of work, Chamberlin enjoys spending time with his family and reading history. While attending Northwest, he changed his major from radio and television communication to general studies, finally landing on a passion of his, history. He said that unfortunately, history doesn't pay the bills, but he does enjoy reading about it.

"Justice Chamberlin is the perfect example of success for Northwest students. He attributes Northwest for giving him the opportunity to figure out what he was passionate about, and then setting him on the right path to have a prosperous career," said Patti Gordon, executive director of Institutional Advancement.

Chamberlin's educational journey began in his hometown of Hernando where he graduated high school before going to Northwest Mississippi Junior College (now known as Northwest Mississippi Community College) in 1983. He graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Arts in history, and then afterwards attended the University of Mississippi Law School where he graduated in 1990.

He and his wife, Kim, have one son, William, daughter-in-law, Sara, and grand dog, Caddy.

If you'd like to learn more about Northwest, the Foundation, or the Northwest Soiree, please visit northwestms.edu/foundation. Soiree tickets are on sale now at heindlcenter.org.

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