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Case: Robert W. Cockerham, et al., Appellants, vs. American Family Mutual Insurance Company, Respondent, and Nicholas Howard Schalk, Schalk Construction, LLC, Robert Berthold and R.J. Berthold Engineering Co., d/b/a RJ Engineering and d/b/a Berthold Engineering, Co., Defendants.
Case Number: ED106353
Court: Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District
Decision Date: 2018-09-25
Practice Area: insurance
Canonical URL: https://ott.law/missouri-courts/opinions/robert-w-cockerham-et-al-appellants-v-american-family-mutual-insurance-co-106353
Official Source URL: https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=131734
Related Practice Areas:
- Insurance Bad Faith: https://ott.law/practice-areas/insurance-bad-faith?ott_archive=missouri-courts&ott_archive_practice_area=insurance-bad-faith&ott_archive_query=Robert+W.+Cockerham%2C+et+al.%2C+Appellants%2C+vs.+American+Family+Mutual+Insurance+Company%2C+Respondent%2C+and+Nicholas+Howard+Schalk%2C+Schalk+Construction%2C+LLC%2C+Robert+Berthold+and+R.J.+Berthold+Engineering+Co.%2C+d%2Fb%2Fa+RJ+Engineering+and+d%2Fb%2Fa+Berthold+Engineering%2C+Co.%2C+Defendants.&ott_archive_link_source=tag&ott_archive_link_score=38&ott_archive_link_evidence=tag%3A+insurance%3B+topic%3A+insurance&ott_archive_location=opinion_plain_text_practice_area (slug: insurance-bad-faith; source: tag; score: 38; evidence: tag: insurance, topic: insurance, text: coverage, text: insurance policy)
- Real Estate: https://ott.law/practice-areas/real-estate?ott_archive=missouri-courts&ott_archive_practice_area=real-estate&ott_archive_query=Robert+W.+Cockerham%2C+et+al.%2C+Appellants%2C+vs.+American+Family+Mutual+Insurance+Company%2C+Respondent%2C+and+Nicholas+Howard+Schalk%2C+Schalk+Construction%2C+LLC%2C+Robert+Berthold+and+R.J.+Berthold+Engineering+Co.%2C+d%2Fb%2Fa+RJ+Engineering+and+d%2Fb%2Fa+Berthold+Engineering%2C+Co.%2C+Defendants.&ott_archive_link_source=topic&ott_archive_link_score=12&ott_archive_link_evidence=topic%3A+property-real-estate&ott_archive_location=opinion_plain_text_practice_area (slug: real-estate; source: topic; score: 12; evidence: topic: property-real-estate)
- Civil Litigation: https://ott.law/practice-areas/litigation?ott_archive=missouri-courts&ott_archive_practice_area=litigation&ott_archive_query=Robert+W.+Cockerham%2C+et+al.%2C+Appellants%2C+vs.+American+Family+Mutual+Insurance+Company%2C+Respondent%2C+and+Nicholas+Howard+Schalk%2C+Schalk+Construction%2C+LLC%2C+Robert+Berthold+and+R.J.+Berthold+Engineering+Co.%2C+d%2Fb%2Fa+RJ+Engineering+and+d%2Fb%2Fa+Berthold+Engineering%2C+Co.%2C+Defendants.&ott_archive_link_source=topic&ott_archive_link_score=12&ott_archive_link_evidence=topic%3A+summary-judgment&ott_archive_location=opinion_plain_text_practice_area (slug: litigation; source: topic; score: 12; evidence: topic: summary-judgment)

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## Syllabus

ROBERT W. COCKERHAM, et al.,      )    No. ED106353 
      ) 
Appellants,    ) Appeal from the Circuit Court of   
      ) St. Louis County 
vs.      ) 15SL-CC02435 
      )  
AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL       ) 
INSURANCE COMPANY,            )    Honorable Michael D. Burton 
      ) 
     Respondent,    ) Filed: September 25, 2018 
      ) 
NICHOLAS HOWARD SCHALK,       ) 
SCHALK CONSTRUCTION, LLC,      ) 
ROBERT BERTHOLD, and R.J.         ) 
BERTHOLD ENGINEERING CO., d/b/a  ) 
RJ ENGINEERING and d/b/a          ) 
BERTHOLD ENGINEERING, CO.,      ) 
      ) 
     Defendants.

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## OPINION

Homeowners Robert W. Cockerham and Stacia A. Cockerham and their homeowner's 
insurance provider American Family Mutual Insurance Company filed cross-motions for summary 
judgment arising out of a dispute regarding coverage under Homeowners' insurance policy for 
losses that occurred in connection with the construction of an addition to their residence which 
Homeowners  intended  to  use  as  a  celestial  observatory.    Specifically,  Homeowners  sought 
coverage for the damage that occurred to a newly-installed telescope support system, to the 
foundation of their home, and for their loss of use of the observatory.