United States Seventh Circuit

In a declaratory action over an insurer's duty to defend or indemnify, judgment for the defendant-insured is reversed where the plaintiff-insurer was not estopped from asserting the policy's exclusion for strictly contract cases since Illinois recognizes an exception to its estoppel doctrine if an insured indicates that it does not want the insurer's assistance or is unresponsive or uncooperative.

Appellate Information

• Argued 02/20/2008
• Decided 04/09/2008
• Published 04/09/2008

Judges

• EASTERBROOK, Chief Judge., Before EASTERBROOK, Chief Judge, and BAUER and WOOD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Seventh Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Jonathan A. Constine (argued), Douglas S. Crosno, Hogan & Hartson L.L.P., Washington, DC, James H. Kallianis, Jr., Jeffrey A. Berman, Meckler Bulger & Tilson LLP, Chicago, IL, for Plaintiff-Appellant, Cross-Appellee., Alan J. Martin (argued), Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Chicago, IL, James C. Schroeder, Stanley C. Nardoni, Dana S. Douglas, Mayer Brown LLP, Chicago, IL, for Defendants-Appellees, Cross-Appellants.