| Establishing Original Boundaries | | | | Examining Boundary Disputes |
| The old saying, "A good fence makes for good | | | | Most disputes over boundaries take place when |
| neighbors," should probably be the unofficial motto | | | | the original markers have disappeared, or it is |
| of the land surveyor. Municipalities around the | | | | unclear from deeds of sale or similar |
| world derive tax revenue and other benefits by | | | | documentation where the property begins and |
| knowing exactly where one owner's land stops | | | | ends. If permanent markers have been installed, a |
| and another's begins. Over the years, even in | | | | surveyor need only determine that they are lying |
| first-world countries with accurate land-use maps | | | | in the proper spot, which can be done by |
| and an unbroken string of accurate deed-transfer | | | | comparing a GPS reading to the ownership |
| data, the knowledge of the exact boundary | | | | material on file with the local government entity. |
| between my property and yours can be lost or | | | | In cases where markers no longer exist or |
| misrepresented. Surveys are conducted to | | | | paperwork is infused with vagueness (see the |
| establish initial property boundaries. | | | | description above), one party to the dispute will |
| This information is filed away in plat books and | | | | oftentimes engage the services of a surveyor to |
| gets updated every time a piece of land changes | | | | re-establish the correct boundary line. It is not |
| hands or is subdivided among multiple owners. In | | | | unheard of, however, to see especially combative |
| the old days, surveyors relied on natural | | | | opponents hire experts who may provide |
| landmarks to help delineate property divisions. An | | | | conflicting reports, with each presenting "proof" |
| entry might read something like this: "The | | | | advantageous to their respective client. Under |
| westernmost boundary is formed by a line | | | | such circumstances the case usually ends up in |
| exactly four meters east of and parallel to a line | | | | court, where a judge will rely on evidence that |
| drawn between the NW corner of the retaining | | | | may include issues of historic occupancy or |
| wall and the center of the oak tree in the SW | | | | adverse possession. This latter term is also known |
| corner. Of course, once the wall erodes and the | | | | colloquially as "squatter's rights," where someone |
| oak tree falls during a windstorm, so much for | | | | has used a particular piece of land for many years |
| knowing exactly where the boundary lies. | | | | with full knowledge of the actual owner. |
| The Boundary Survey | | | | This situation is common in disputes that involve |
| When establishing property boundaries, the role of | | | | boundary fences, with a landowner constructing a |
| a land surveyor includes performing the following | | | | fence on the neighbor's side of the line, where it |
| tasks:o Show boundary lines on a map and include | | | | has remained for decades without objection. A |
| length, lat-long coordinates at the corners, the | | | | court may rule that such encroachment, having |
| measure of interior angles, and so ono Append to | | | | gone unchallenged by the injured party, would |
| the document a legal description of the property | | | | effectively transfer legal title to the encroacher |
| being surveyedo Note the area in acres or | | | | without the necessity of monetary compensation. |
| hectares, depending upon the conventional unit of | | | | The rule here is clear. If your neighbor decides to |
| measureo Describe manmade structures such as | | | | build a fence, make sure it is being constructed on |
| buildings, fences, roads, etc.o Note easements and | | | | his or her side of the line by relying on the |
| other land-access issues that may result from | | | | re-establishment of the correct property lines. |
| roads, utility lines, water, and other rights of wayo | | | | Hiring a surveyor to protect your interests is |
| Leave some sort of physical mark that shows | | | | always a wise decision. |
| the boundary lines, or at least property corners | | | | |