BMO Harris Bank N.A. v. Edward E. Gillen Co., No. 15-1323 (7th Cir. 2016)
Annotate this CaseBMO Harris Bank holds a security interest in the assets of Gillen, formerly in the construction business. Gillen failed to perform on a subcontract with Meyne, which received an arbitration award of $1.8 million. Liberty Mutual, Gillen’s primary insurer, paid Meyne $1 million, the policy’s limit. Gillen unsuccessfully sought to set aside the award, then appealed. To avoid execution of the judgment, Gillen posted a supersedeas bond, underwritten by F&D. The appeal was settled and dismissed; as part of that agreement, F&D paid Meyne the remaining $800,000 and stepped into its shoes as Gillen’s creditor. ICSOP, the insurer under an “excess” policy, paid $1.2 million into the court’s registry. BMO sought the entire amount, arguing that its status as a secured creditor put it ahead of F&D and Gillen. The district court awarded $800,000 to F&D, because it is subrogated to Meyne’s rights, and Meyne could have collected from ICSOP without impairing the Bank’s security interest. The remaining $400,000 was awarded to BMO as Gillen's secured creditor. The Seventh Circuit affirmed. Under Wisconsin law insurance bypasses security interests. Wisconsin is a direct‐action jurisdiction in which the victim of an insured wrong can collect from the insurer, Wis. Stat. 632.24. In Wisconsin, even the insolvency of the client and the presence of other creditors does not affect the victim’s rights.
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