779.155 Judgment creditors, attachment of funds due to public contractors.

(1) Limitations. This section does not apply to cases covered by s. 812.42. Demands covered by s. 779.15 have priority over judgments filed under this section. The remedies afforded by s. 779.15 and by this section are complementary.

(2) Certified copies of judgments filed. In this section, “municipality" includes city, village, county, town, school district, technical college district and any quasi municipal corporation. When the state or any municipality is indebted to any prime contractor, the owner of a judgment against the prime contractor may attach the debt by filing a certified copy of his or her judgment in the manner and subject to the conditions and limitations of this section. If the debt is owed by the state upon a contract for public improvements, the certified copy shall be filed with the officer, board, department or commission having jurisdiction over the work. Otherwise, the copy shall be filed with the department of administration. If the debt is owed by a municipality, the copy shall be filed with the municipal clerk or corresponding officer. The judgment creditor shall promptly notify the judgment debtor of the filing, within the time and as provided by s. 812.07 for service upon the defendant.

(3) Payment to judgment creditor; exception. Except as to prime contractors on public works, the proper officers of the state or municipality shall pay the judgment out of moneys due the prime contractor or which become due the prime contractor, but no payment shall be made until 30 days after the creditor has filed with such officers proof that the contractor had been notified of the filing of a copy of the judgment against the contractor.

(4) Same; funds due public prime contractors. When the state or a municipality is indebted to a prime contractor for public improvements, payment shall not be made to the judgment creditor until 3 months after final completion and acceptance of the public work and then only out of moneys due the prime contractor in excess of unpaid lienable claims having priority under s. 779.15.

(5) Adjustment of lien claims.

(a) For the purpose of administering this section, sworn statements of the prime contractor setting forth the unpaid lien claims that have been or may be filed under s. 779.15 may be accepted by the proper officer, board, department, or commission, unless the judgment creditor or other interested person gives written notice that an action is pending to determine whether specified lien claims were incurred in performing the public work and the amount thereof, or to determine priorities in which event payments shall await the result of the action.

(b) Within 10 days after filing the certified copy of the judgment under sub. (2), the prime contractor shall file the sworn statement in duplicate, with the proper officer, board, department or commission, who shall immediately furnish the judgment creditor with one of the statements. The judgment creditor shall have 10 days from the receipt thereof in which to serve the notice of pendency of the court action.

(6) Payments to judgment creditor. After the expiration of the 3-month period, the moneys due the prime contractor in excess of unpaid lienable expenses and claims incurred in performing the public work shall be paid to the judgment creditor, but not exceeding the amount due on the judgment.

(7) Priority of judgments over assignments. Any judgment filed under this section has priority over an assignment made by the prime contractor after the commencement of the action in which the judgment was obtained.

History: 1971 c. 154; Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 775 (1975); 1975 c. 218; 1979 c. 32 ss. 57, 92 (9); 1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 779.155; 1993 a. 80, 399, 486; 1999 a. 185; 2001 a. 38; 2005 a. 204.