The Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) mourns the loss of Captain Robert G. Fuller Jr., Esq., who passed away on February 14, 2026, at the Cogir Senior Living Facility in Potomac, Maryland. The Center is profoundly saddened by his tragic and untimely death and wishes to honor his life and legacy.
Captain Fuller was a member of CERL’s Advisory Council, a retired U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General and Navy Reserve officer, and an attorney from Augusta, Maine who was widely known for his altruism and philanthropic work. He was a friend to CERL’s faculty, board, and staff, as well as a key supporter of CERL’s mission. Captain Fuller was a leader, visionary, lawyer, author, philanthropist, and Navy officer of the highest caliber. His unwavering love of country and the U.S. military, and his determination to safeguard the rule of law principles that served as the bell weather of his own professional training and experience in public service, motivated his work with CERL and the many initiatives he undertook to support democratic values.
“The Center has lost a dear friend and a great defender of its work and the values that animate its history,” said Professor Claire Finkelstein, Faculty Director of CERL and the Algernon Biddle Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. “We are indebted to Bob for his unwavering support of CERL and its mission to protect and preserve the rule of law in national security law and practice. He was a tireless advocate for integrity in public life who was idealistic enough to think individuals could make a difference. Personally, he brought warmth, enthusiasm, and an infectious humor to all those who knew him. His presence will be deeply missed.”
Mr. Fuller was a proud alumnus of the class of 1964 at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. In 1971, he endowed the Robert G. Fuller, Jr. Professor of Law, which honors “professors who demonstrate scholarship and the ability to communicate to students a knowledge of the essential principles of law and a humanistic understanding of the application of these principles.” That professorship is currently held by Penn Carey Law Professor Gideon Parchomovsky. In recent years, Captain Fuller was a generous benefactor to CERL who was also an engaged participant in CERL’s conferences, board meetings, and countless other activities.
CERL will continue to honor Captain Fuller’s legacy by carrying out his vision of preserving and promoting the rule of law in twenty-first-century national security, warfare, and democratic governance. His leadership, his dedication, and his optimism will continue to have an enduring impact on the Center’s work.
CERL extends its deepest prayers and condolences to the family of Captain Fuller and hopes that their future participation in CERL events and activities will help keep Mr. Fuller’s spirit alive at Penn. The Center would also like to thank Maryland law enforcement for its prompt and effective investigation into the fatal shooting of Captain Fuller.
A celebration of the life of Captain Fuller will be held at the church at St. James’s Episcopal Church in Potomac on April 29 at 10:30 a.m.
