He had a long and successful career as an activist attorney in Montgomery. He retired and moved to Magnolia Springs in Baldwin County, and there, Doyle Fuller died on Christmas Day following a battle with cancer.
Fuller was born in Cusseta. His 10-years-older brother was Millard Fuller, who made his millions early as founder of Fuller and Dees Marketing along with Morris Dees. While Dees used his profits to found the Southern Poverty Law Center, Millard Fuller used his to found Habitat for Humanity. Thousands of formerly homeless now live in homes built by Habitat. It continues.
Doyle Fuller remained in a day-to-day law practice, but citizens with peculiar needs that needed to be addressed in court made their way to Fuller’s office. His final firm was Fuller & Copeland with Montgomery attorney Susan Copeland.
A fascinating and frustrating case Fuller handled was the Pre-paid Alabama College Tuition program in which 44,000 Alabama families had paid in advance so their child or grandchild would have four years of college tuition in full. As tuition rose dramatically and the stock market dropped in 2008, the program went essentially insolvent. The families found out that they would not receive the four years of full tuition, and the program was in danger of going under.
Doyle Fuller came to the rescue. He and other lawyers filed suits in Circuit Court of Montgomery County on behalf of the PACT families. After a lengthy court battle, he maneuvered a favorable settlement that kept the program alive and paid the families the tuition levels as of 2010. The families had to pay the difference.
Fuller was always disappointed that his clients did not get what they had bargained for — full tuition for four years. But he was relieved that they received substantial tuition and the program survived to pay all remaining members. The tuition paid has increase every year for the past 10 years. All remaining families receive full tuition payments today.
Another stellar case Fuller handled involved the faulty state accounting software purchased by the state under then-Gov. Robert Bentley. Fuller sued the governor, finance director, and others, alleging that the $53 million STAARS deal was a no-bid contract in violation of state bid laws. Fuller lost in Circuit Court but appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court. He was finally able to maneuver a favorable settlement, canceling the final one-quarter remaining on the contract.
Doyle Fuller’s survivors include his wife Becky Fuller and sons Jacob Fuller and Jay Fuller.
Arrangements for Fuller will be announced.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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