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Students will be able to:
1. Summarize the historical development of current land law in California and the United States
2. Identify the concepts and types of evidence used in boundary determination
3. List the types of ownership and evaluate the effects of transfers of property
4. Interpret and prepare various types of legal descriptions
5. Analyze the effects of unwritten title in property surveys
6. Describe the responsibilities of the professional surveyor, court, attorney, title company,
engineer, local agencies and landowners in boundary determination
7. Research and obtain hard copy and electronic land surveying related records from public
agencies
8. Perform various boundary surveying support field methods
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I. History and Overview of Property Surveying and Boundary Systems
A. Babylonian & Egyptian Systems
B. Native American lands
C. French System
D. Spanish and Mexican land grants
E. Other systems: Texas, colonial/eastern seaboard states
F. Public Domain
G. Lands held in trust by the State of California
H. Lands held privately and Common Law
II. Ownership of Real Property
A. Acquisition and transfer of real property
1. Simultaneous and sequential conveyances
2. Unwritten conveyances
3. Eminent domain
B. Interests in Real Property
1. Individual vs. shared
2. Controlling interest
3. Lenders and title
C. Supplemental laws
1. Homesteads
2. Statute of frauds
3. Statute of limitations
4. Power of attorney
D. Real property encumbrances
1. Liens
2. Trust deeds
3. Land contracts
4. Recording
5. Judgments
6. Title insurance
III. Priority of Controlling Calls
A. Types of controlling calls
B. Order of priority
IV. Evidence Used for Locating Land
A. Types of evidence
B. Preserving and recording evidence
C. Evidence and technology
D. Calculations and measurements as evidence
V. Requirements for Written Title Boundaries
A. Legal
B. Financial
VI. Writing Legal Descriptions
A. Types of legal descriptions
B. Parts of a legal description
C. Considerations when drafting descriptions
VII. The Surveying Profession
A. The surveyor in court
B. The surveyor in business
C. Professional liability
D. Professional stature
LABORATORY TOPICS AND SCOPE
I. Boundary Survey Planning and Implementation
A. Client intent, survey needs
B. Records assembly and review
C. Geographic Information System (GIS) data acquisition
D. Hard copy maps versus digital maps
E. Adjoiner notification, legal access
F. Equipment familiarization, preparation, and use
II. General Boundary Research at County Offices
A. Introduction to Sonoma County Surveyor's Office
B. Introduction to Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder's Offices
C. Introduction to adjoining county offices
III. Boundary Survey Field Reconnaissance
A. Records assembly and review
B. GIS data acquisition
C. Hard copy maps versus digital maps
D. Adjoiner notification, legal access
E. Field evidence identification
F. Equipment familiarization, preparation, and use
IV. Boundary Survey Field Methods
A. Boundary creation versus retracement
B. Measurement equipment
C. Locating equipment
D. Evidence assessment
E. Field notes and data collection
V. Boundary Review and Resolution
A. Review data
B. Interpret data
C. Resolve, opine on boundary location
VI. Boundary Mapping and Submittal
A. Review data
B. Interpret data
C. Create map in Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD)
D. Mock map submittal for review and recording
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Evidence and Procedures for Boundary Control. 7th. Robillard, Walter and Wilson, Donald. Wiley. 2013 (classic)
Forensic Procedures for Boundary and Title Investigation. Wilson, Donald. Wiley. 2008 (classic)
Instructor prepared materials