Description

Principles & Practice V – 1.5 Contact Hours
The Principles & Practice series is a focus on the fundamental principles of land surveying and how those principles impact land surveying practice. The case-in-chief for this edition is Spainhour v. Huffman & Associates, Ltd., Virginia Supreme Court, 1989. The Spainhour case has gained some notoriety over the years. It has been covered in Brown’s books: Evidence and Procedures and Boundary Control and Legal Principles. James Demma, an attorney and former contributor to Professional Surveyor and American Surveyor magazines, has it in his book, The Law of Boundaries for the Maryland Surveyor and Related Materials. We feel TLL readers should well-versed in this case. The case covers several aspects of the principles and practice of land surveying, including: a fee dispute; a fence line survey versus a distance call in a deed; the “order of preference” governing inconsistencies in land descriptions; surveyor negligence; and expert witness testimony. This is a 2-Page Letter covering one Court Opinion consisting of 5 pages. Altogether, this is a 7-Page document with a 10-Question examination based on the text of the newsletter and the case-in-chief.

OBJECTIVES: To enhance professional competency and improve practitioner’s knowledge of the law as it relates to the practice of land surveying.