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LA Land Surveyor practice questions

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Question 1Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Under the common-law rule applied in most western states, when a non-navigable stream is used as a boundary in a government survey, the boundary line runs to which location?

  1. The meander line as run in the field
  2. The ordinary high water mark on the bank Correct answer.
  3. The centerline of the stream's floodplain
  4. The thread of the stream

Explanation

For non-navigable streams the federal rule places the boundary at the ordinary high water mark, with the streambed passing to the riparian owner. The thread-of-the-stream rule applies to navigable waters, where the state holds title to the bed. Meander lines are run only to compute area and are not boundary lines.

Question 2Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a distance of '660 feet to a set iron pin' and the pin is found in place and undisturbed. In a boundary retracement, what is the correct treatment of the call?

  1. The two calls must be averaged to fix the corner
  2. The pin controls over the distance Correct answer.
  3. The call is void because it is internally inconsistent
  4. The distance controls and the pin is disregarded

Explanation

Monuments control over courses and distances in the hierarchy of evidence because a called monument is a physical object placed by the original surveyor. If the pin is accepted as the original, undisturbed monument, it fixes the corner regardless of the record distance. Distances yield to monuments, not the reverse.

Question 3Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which term describes the process of re-establishing the location of original boundary lines and corners from the record of a prior survey, without creating new lines?

  1. Retracement Correct answer.
  2. Subdivision
  3. Condemnation
  4. Rezoning

Explanation

A retracement follows the footsteps of the original surveyor to recover the position of the original boundary as nearly as possible. It does not create new parcels or alter the record boundary. Subdivision, condemnation, and rezoning are separate legal processes with different purposes.

Question 4Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the Public Land Survey System, what is the standard width of a normal section of land within a township?

  1. Six miles
  2. Half a mile
  3. Two miles
  4. One mile Correct answer.

Explanation

A normal section is nominally one mile square, containing 640 acres, and a township is six sections wide and six deep. Sections along the north and west tiers of a township are adjusted for convergence and are often irregular. The township itself is six miles on a side.

Question 5Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A metes-and-bounds deed describes a parcel by a series of courses and distances. Which element of the description is considered least reliable when the boundary is disputed?

  1. The bearing of each course
  2. The area stated in the deed
  3. The called monument
  4. The distance of each course Correct answer.

Explanation

Distances are the least reliable element of a metes-and-bounds description because of measurement error, chain stretch, and rough terrain. Bearings are more reliable than distances, monuments are more reliable than either, and stated area is merely a general description. This ordering underlies the hierarchy of evidence.

Question 6Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which term describes a marker placed by a surveyor to perpetuate the location of a corner that is not the original monument?

  1. Reference monument
  2. Witness corner
  3. Set corner Correct answer.
  4. Permanent accessory

Explanation

A set corner is a monument placed at the corner position by a surveyor when no original monument is found, and it perpetuates that location for future retracement. A witness corner is placed nearby when the true corner cannot be monumented, and a reference monument is offset from the corner with a recorded bearing and distance. These are distinct categories in boundary practice.

Question 7Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A recorded plat shows a lot bounded on the north by a street and on the south by a creek. Which boundary is generally treated as a natural monument?

  1. The lot line dimensioned on the plat
  2. The creek Correct answer.
  3. The street centerline
  4. The plat's stated area

Explanation

Natural monuments such as rivers, creeks, and trees are given great weight because they are features of the land itself and are less subject to error than artificial monuments. The creek, as a natural feature, generally controls over the street centerline and over dimensions. Artificial monuments and distances yield to natural monuments in the hierarchy.

Question 8Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which federal act established the rectangular system of surveying public lands in the United States?

  1. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
  2. The Homestead Act of 1862
  3. The General Mining Law of 1872
  4. The Land Ordinance of 1785 Correct answer.

Explanation

The Land Ordinance of 1785 created the rectangular system of townships and sections for disposing of public lands. The Northwest Ordinance addressed governance of the territory, not survey method. The Homestead Act and the Mining Law dealt with disposal of land, not the system of survey.

Question 9Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a retracement, a surveyor finds an original monument that has been disturbed and reset by a later party. How should the surveyor treat the reset position?

  1. As evidence of the corner, but not controlling over other original evidence Correct answer.
  2. As controlling, because the most recent position is presumed correct
  3. As the original corner, because the monument is the same object
  4. As void, because any moved monument loses all evidentiary value

Explanation

A monument that has been moved is no longer the original monument and loses its controlling weight, but its reset position remains evidence to be weighed with other original evidence. The surveyor must seek the best available evidence of the original location, including bearing trees, accessories, and record calls. Neither the reset position nor the mere existence of the object automatically controls.

Question 10Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary 'to a large oak tree, thence to a stone' but no bearing or distance is given for either call. What is the surveyor's primary task?

  1. Establish the lines by the called monuments and connect them by the shortest course Correct answer.
  2. Assume the calls were intended to be due north and due east
  3. Apply the record area to fix the missing dimensions
  4. Reject the deed as insufficient

Explanation

When a deed describes boundaries by monuments without courses and distances, the monuments control and the connecting lines are run between them. The surveyor's task is to locate the called objects and connect them, not to invent bearings. A deed is not insufficient merely because distances are omitted if the monuments can be identified.

Question 11Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the PLSS, a corner established at the intersection of a standard parallel and a guide meridian is best described as which type of corner?

  1. Closing corner
  2. Meander corner
  3. Standard corner Correct answer.
  4. Witness corner

Explanation

Standard corners are established at the intersections of standard parallels and guide meridians, and they control the subdivision of the townships around them. Closing corners are set where a surveyed line closes on a previously established line, and meander corners are set at water boundaries. Witness corners are set near true corners that cannot be occupied.

Question 12Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a PLSS boundary finds that the original closing corner is not on the line it was intended to close upon. What is the correct treatment?

  1. Hold the original corner and treat the line as closed at the corner Correct answer.
  2. Move the corner to the true intersection
  3. Disregard the corner and re-establish it by proportion
  4. Set a new corner at the midpoint of the discrepancy

Explanation

An original closing corner, even if misplaced, is held as the corner and the line is considered closed at the corner as set by the original surveyor. The surveyor retraces what was done, not what should have been done. Moving or disregarding an original corner would destroy the integrity of the original survey.

Question 13Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which principle holds that a surveyor retracing a boundary should follow the footsteps of the original surveyor?

  1. The rule of monument control
  2. The rule of intent Correct answer.
  3. The rule of repose
  4. The rule of practical location

Explanation

The rule of intent directs the retracing surveyor to determine and follow the original surveyor's intent as evidenced by the field notes, plats, and physical evidence. It is the guiding principle of boundary retracement. Monument control, practical location, and repose are separate doctrines that address specific evidentiary questions.

Question 14Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A riparian owner's deed bounds the parcel by a navigable river. Under the federal rule, what does the owner generally hold?

  1. Riparian rights but not title to the bed Correct answer.
  2. Title to the entire bed of the river
  3. Title to the bed to the thread of the stream
  4. No rights in the river whatsoever

Explanation

For navigable waters, the state holds title to the bed and the riparian owner takes to the ordinary high water mark, retaining riparian rights such as access and wharfage. The thread-of-the-stream rule applies to non-navigable streams. The owner does not hold the entire bed or lose all river rights.

Question 15Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor finds bearing trees recorded in the original field notes at a section corner. The trees are still standing and the corner monument is missing. What is the best evidence of the corner location?

  1. The nearest fence line
  2. The center of the section computed by proportion
  3. The record distances from the nearest section corner
  4. The bearing trees and the intersection of their bearings Correct answer.

Explanation

Bearing trees are original accessories that were tied to the corner by the original surveyor and are strong evidence of the corner's location. When the monument is missing but the accessories survive, the corner is re-established from the accessories. Proportion is used only when no original evidence remains, and fences are not original evidence.

Question 16Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which doctrine allows a boundary line that has been acquiesced in by adjoining owners for a long period to be treated as the true boundary, even if it differs from the record?

  1. Practical location Correct answer.
  2. Prescription
  3. Adverse possession
  4. Estoppel by deed

Explanation

Practical location is the doctrine under which adjoining owners who mutually recognize and treat a line as their boundary for a sufficient period are bound by that line. Adverse possession requires statutory elements of possession and is a distinct doctrine. Prescription concerns easements, and estoppel by deed concerns inconsistent deed recitals.

Question 17Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed describes a parcel as 'the north half of the southeast quarter of Section 12.' What area does this description convey, assuming a regular section?

  1. 80 acres Correct answer.
  2. 40 acres
  3. 320 acres
  4. 160 acres

Explanation

The southeast quarter of a regular section contains 160 acres, and the north half of that quarter contains 80 acres. Halving a quarter-quarter yields 80 acres, and halving again would yield 40 acres. The full quarter is 160 acres and the half-section is 320 acres.

Question 18Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a retracement, the surveyor must resolve a conflict between a deed bearing of N 45° E and a found monument that yields a bearing of N 48° E. Which call generally controls?

  1. The bearing that produces the recorded area
  2. The monument Correct answer.
  3. The deed bearing
  4. The bearing averaged between the two

Explanation

A found original monument controls over a record bearing, just as it controls over a record distance. The retracing surveyor accepts the monument and adjusts the bearing to fit it. Averaging or fitting to area would subordinate the strongest evidence to weaker evidence.

Question 19Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor discovers that a section corner monument is a modern pipe that does not match the original field notes and has no accessories. What should the surveyor conclude?

  1. The pipe establishes the corner because it is the only monument found
  2. The pipe must be removed and a new corner set by proportion
  3. The pipe is evidence of the corner but must be evaluated against other original evidence Correct answer.
  4. The pipe is the original corner and controls

Explanation

A monument that does not match the original record and lacks accessories may be a later replacement, so it must be weighed against other original evidence rather than accepted automatically. The surveyor should search for original accessories and record evidence before deciding. Only a monument shown to be original controls outright.

Question 20Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which term describes the line along a water boundary that marks the limit of the bed owned by the state in navigable waters?

  1. Bankfull stage
  2. Thread of the stream
  3. Ordinary high water mark Correct answer.
  4. Meander line

Explanation

The ordinary high water mark is the limit of the state's title to the bed in navigable waters and the boundary of the riparian owner's upland. The thread of the stream is the centerline of the water body and applies to non-navigable streams under the common-law rule. A meander line is a survey line run for area computation, and bankfull stage is a hydrologic term.

Question 21Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary running 'to the center of the creek' but the creek has since shifted by gradual accretion. How is the boundary generally affected?

  1. The boundary is voided by the shift
  2. The boundary remains at the original surveyed location
  3. The boundary is fixed at the ordinary high water mark
  4. The boundary moves with the gradual shift of the creek Correct answer.

Explanation

Under the doctrine of accretion, a boundary along a water body moves gradually with the water as sediment is deposited, and the riparian owner gains or loses land accordingly. Avulsion, a sudden change, leaves the boundary at the old location. The boundary is neither frozen at the original survey nor voided by gradual movement.

Question 22Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor is retracing a boundary described in a deed that calls for a stone wall as a monument. The wall has been rebuilt along a slightly different line. What is the proper approach?

  1. Accept the rebuilt wall as the controlling monument
  2. Disregard the wall call entirely
  3. Set the line at the midpoint between the old and new walls
  4. Search for evidence of the original wall's location and weigh it with other calls Correct answer.

Explanation

A rebuilt wall is not the original monument and does not automatically control, so the surveyor must seek evidence of the original wall's location and weigh it against other calls. Original evidence such as remnants, fences, and record calls may establish the true line. Neither automatic acceptance nor total disregard is justified.

Question 23Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which statement best describes the weight of a meander line in a federal survey?

  1. It establishes the thread of the stream
  2. It controls over the ordinary high water mark
  3. It is evidence of the water's position at the time of survey but not a boundary Correct answer.
  4. It is the legal boundary of the upland owner

Explanation

Meander lines are run to compute the area of fractional lots and are expressly not boundary lines. They are evidence of where the water lay at the time of the survey. The legal boundary is the water itself, generally the ordinary high water mark or the thread of the stream as applicable.

Question 24Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor must re-establish a lost interior section corner in a regular township. Which method is generally applied?

  1. Setting the corner at the record bearing and distance from the section corner
  2. Double proportionate measurement between the nearest original corners Correct answer.
  3. Single proportionate measurement between the nearest original corners
  4. Setting the corner at the intersection of the centerlines of the section

Explanation

A lost interior section corner is re-established by double proportionate measurement, using the four surrounding original corners to proportion the position in both latitude and departure. Single proportionate measurement is used for corners on a line between two original corners, such as standard corners. Record bearing and distance alone are not used when original corners are available for proportion.

Question 25Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary along a non-navigable stream, and the grantor owned both banks at the time of the conveyance. What is the presumed boundary under the common-law rule?

  1. The ordinary high water mark on the grantor's side
  2. The edge of the grantor's upland
  3. The thread of the stream Correct answer.
  4. The meander line

Explanation

When the grantor owns both banks of a non-navigable stream, the common-law rule presumes the grantee takes to the thread of the stream, since the grantor could convey the entire bed. The ordinary high water mark applies where the grantor owns only one bank or where the water is navigable. The meander line and upland edge are not the presumed boundary.

Question 26Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A retracement surveyor finds that a deed's courses and distances close with a small misclosure, but the parcel is bounded by original monuments at every corner that are undisturbed. Which evidence controls the location of the boundary?

  1. The original undisturbed monuments Correct answer.
  2. An average of the monument positions and the deed calls
  3. The deed distances, because they are mathematically precise
  4. The record bearings, because they are written in the deed

Explanation

Under the hierarchy of evidence, natural or original artificial monuments called for in a deed control over courses and distances. Where the monuments are undisturbed and identifiable, they fix the corners regardless of minor misclosure in the deed figures. Distances and bearings are resorted to only when monuments are lost or uncertain.

Question 27Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed conveys a tract 'bounded on the east by the meander line of the lake as surveyed in 1890.' The lake has since receded by gradual, imperceptible accretion. How is the eastern boundary now located?

  1. At the thread of the lake, because the state owns the bed
  2. At the present water's edge, because the meander line is not a boundary Correct answer.
  3. At the ordinary high water mark as it existed in 1890, regardless of later accretion
  4. At the 1890 meander line, because the deed fixes that line as the boundary

Explanation

A meander line is run only to compute the area of the upland and is not itself a boundary. When a deed calls for the water as a boundary, the boundary moves with gradual accretion and reliction. Because this deed expressly names the meander line as the boundary, however, the call is to a fixed line and the water's movement does not shift it.

Question 28Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a retracement of a PLSS township, the surveyor must re-establish a lost standard corner that lies on the south boundary of the township at the intersection with a range line. Which method is generally used to restore its position?

  1. Random traverse from the nearest quarter-section corner
  2. Setting the corner at the record bearing and distance from the township corner
  3. Double proportionate measurement using the nearest corners in both directions
  4. Single proportionate measurement between the nearest identified corners on the line Correct answer.

Explanation

A lost standard corner on a township boundary line is restored by single proportionate measurement along that line between the nearest identified corners. Double proportionate measurement is reserved for lost corners that are not on a line between controlling corners, such as interior section corners. Proportioning preserves the original record relationships when the controlling corners have been accepted.

Question 29Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retraces a boundary described as running 'thence to a heap of stones at the northeast corner of the old barn.' The heap of stones is gone, but the barn foundation remains and the deed's distance and bearing agree closely with the foundation corner. How should the corner be treated?

  1. As uncertain, requiring a new deed to fix the corner
  2. As existent, because the monument can be restored from the remaining calls
  3. As obliterated, and set by proportion along the boundary line
  4. As lost, and set by the deed bearing and distance from the last accepted corner Correct answer.

Explanation

When a called-for monument is entirely gone and cannot be identified, the corner is lost and must be re-established from the best remaining evidence. The deed bearing and distance from the last accepted corner, corroborated by the barn foundation, provide that evidence. A corner is not treated as existent merely because its former location can be approximated.

Question 30Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor finds a bearing tree recorded in the original GLO field notes still standing and blazed, with the scribe marks legible. The original section corner monument is missing. What weight does the bearing tree carry?

  1. It is direct evidence of the original corner location and may be used to restore the corner Correct answer.
  2. It is controlling only if a second bearing tree is also found
  3. It is irrelevant because bearing trees are not corners
  4. It is only corroborating evidence and cannot be used to restore the corner

Explanation

An original bearing tree recorded in the field notes is direct evidence of the position of the original corner. When the corner monument is missing, the bearing tree and its recorded bearing and distance may be used to restore the corner. Corroboration from a second tree is helpful but not required.

Question 31Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Two adjoining owners have treated a fence as their boundary for 25 years, each improving up to it, though the deed line lies several feet away. The true deed line can still be located. Which doctrine most directly supports treating the fence as the boundary?

  1. Doctrine of prescription by the state
  2. Boundary by practical location or acquiescence Correct answer.
  3. Rule of monument control
  4. Doctrine of ancient monuments

Explanation

Where adjoining owners have long acquiesced in a line as their boundary and improved to it, courts may treat that line as the practical location of the boundary. The doctrine rests on the conduct of the parties rather than on the deed calls. It can fix a boundary even where the deed line remains locatable.

Question 32Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed describes a parcel by aliquot parts as 'the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 8, T3N R2W.' The section is regular and the quarter corners are found in their original positions. What area does the description convey?

  1. 20 acres
  2. 160 acres
  3. 80 acres
  4. 40 acres Correct answer.

Explanation

An aliquot description is read from the smallest unit outward: the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 is one quarter of the NE quarter. The NE quarter is 160 acres, so one quarter of it is 40 acres. The area is nominal and may vary where the section is irregular.

Question 33Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary running 'N 40° E, 500 feet to a stake at the edge of the woods.' The surveyor finds the stake gone but locates a large original oak at the described position. Which call controls the corner?

  1. The edge of the woods as a natural boundary
  2. The oak, as a natural monument Correct answer.
  3. The record bearing of N 40° E
  4. The record distance of 500 feet

Explanation

Natural monuments control over courses and distances in the hierarchy of deed evidence. An original oak at the described position is a natural monument and fixes the corner. The bearing and distance serve only to reach and corroborate the monument.

Question 34Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In retracing a riparian parcel on a non-navigable stream, the surveyor must determine the boundary where the grantor owned both banks at the time of conveyance. Where does the boundary generally lie?

  1. At the low water mark on the grantee's side
  2. At the top of the bank as shown on the plat
  3. At the ordinary high water mark on the grantee's side
  4. At the thread of the stream, the grantor being presumed to convey to the center Correct answer.

Explanation

Where the grantor owns both banks of a non-navigable stream, a conveyance bounded by the stream is presumed to carry title to the thread, or center, of the stream. The presumption reflects the policy against leaving a narrow strip of land in the grantor. The ordinary high water mark generally bounds title on navigable waters, where the state holds the bed.

Question 35Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a boundary finds that the original surveyor's field notes record a distance of 40.00 chains between two corners, but the found original monuments measure 40.25 chains apart. What distance should the retracement surveyor adopt between the monuments?

  1. 40.25 chains, the measured distance between the found monuments Correct answer.
  2. 40.125 chains, the average of the two values
  3. 40.00 chains plus the record misclosure of the township
  4. 40.00 chains, the record distance in the field notes

Explanation

Where original monuments are found and accepted, the measured distance between them governs. The record distance is evidence of where the original surveyor intended to go, but the monuments fix the actual positions. Averaging record and measured values is not a recognized retracement rule.

Question 36Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed describes a boundary along a creek that has since moved by avulsion during a flood, leaving the old channel dry and a new channel several hundred feet away. How is the boundary affected?

  1. It moves halfway to the new channel, by proportion
  2. It moves to the new channel, because the water is the boundary
  3. It remains at the old channel, because avulsion does not change the boundary Correct answer.
  4. It moves to the new channel only if the shift was gradual

Explanation

A sudden change in a stream channel by avulsion does not move the boundary; the boundary remains where the stream ran before the shift. Gradual movement by accretion or erosion, by contrast, does carry the boundary with the water. The distinction turns on whether the change was perceptible and sudden or gradual and imperceptible.

Question 37Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a lot described in a recorded subdivision plat finds that the plat shows a dimension of 100.00 feet along a lot line, but the plat also shows two original monuments at the lot corners that measure 99.60 feet apart. Which evidence controls the lot line length?

  1. The original monuments shown on the plat and found on the ground Correct answer.
  2. The deed distance, if it differs from the plat
  3. The plat dimension of 100.00 feet, because plats are recorded
  4. The average of the plat dimension and the measured distance

Explanation

Monuments shown on a plat and found on the ground control over the recorded dimensions, just as in metes-and-bounds descriptions. The plat dimensions are evidence of intent but yield to the physical monuments. Averaging is not a recognized method of resolving the conflict.

Question 38Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor must restore a lost interior section corner in a regular township. The four nearest section corners have been identified and accepted. Which method is generally applied?

  1. Setting the corner at the record bearing and distance from the township corner
  2. Double proportionate measurement between the accepted corners in both directions Correct answer.
  3. Single proportionate measurement along the nearest section line
  4. Random traverse from the nearest quarter corner

Explanation

A lost interior section corner is restored by double proportionate measurement, using the accepted corners north and south and east and west of the lost position. Proportioning in both directions preserves the original record relationships. Single proportionate measurement is used for lost corners lying on a single controlling line, such as standard corners.

Question 39Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retraces a boundary along a navigable river. Under the equal footing doctrine and federal rule, what does the riparian owner generally hold?

  1. Title to the low water mark, with the state holding the submerged bed
  2. Title to the ordinary high water mark, with the bed held by the state Correct answer.
  3. Title to the center of the channel, with the state holding no interest
  4. Title to the thread of the stream, with the state holding only a navigation easement

Explanation

For navigable waters under the federal rule, the state holds title to the bed and the riparian owner's boundary is the ordinary high water mark. The equal footing doctrine gives newly admitted states title to the beds of navigable waters within their borders. Title to the thread of a stream generally applies only to non-navigable waters.

Question 40Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a retracement, a surveyor finds a monument that matches the original field notes in character and position but has been reset in concrete by a later party. The original location is confirmed by other evidence. How should the surveyor treat the monument?

  1. As controlling only if the later party was a licensed surveyor
  2. As a new corner, because the later party reset it
  3. As irrelevant, because the original monument is gone
  4. As evidence of the original corner, with the original position controlling Correct answer.

Explanation

A monument that has been reset but whose original position is confirmed by independent evidence remains evidence of the original corner. The controlling location is the original position, not the later resetting. The status of the party who reset it does not change the weight of the original evidence.

Question 41Legal Principles and Professional Practice

Under California law, a licensed land surveyor who records a corner record for a monumented position must file that record with which office?

  1. The California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists in Sacramento
  2. The city engineer of the nearest incorporated city regardless of location
  3. The county surveyor or county engineer of the county where the monument is located Correct answer.
  4. The county recorder of the county where the surveyor's principal office is located

Explanation

Business and Professions Code section 8773 requires the corner record to be filed with the county surveyor or county engineer of the county in which the monumented position lies. Filing with the state board or a distant county recorder does not satisfy the statute. The record documents the reestablished or perpetuated corner for public reference.

Question 42Legal Principles and Professional Practice

A land surveyor signs and seals a Record of Survey map. Under the Professional Land Surveyors' Act, the seal and signature primarily signify which of the following?

  1. That the county has verified the accuracy of every shown dimension
  2. That the surveyor personally performed every field measurement shown on the map
  3. That the map has been accepted for filing by the county recorder
  4. That the work was done under the surveyor's responsible charge and meets applicable standards Correct answer.

Explanation

The seal and signature represent that the surveying work was performed by or under the responsible charge of the licensee and complies with the applicable practice standards. It is not a guarantee that the licensee personally performed each measurement. County acceptance for filing is a separate administrative act.

Question 43Legal Principles and Professional Practice

A Record of Survey is required under Business and Professions Code section 8762 when a field survey establishes new evidence that materially differs from the record map of the parcel. Which statement best describes the surveyor's obligation?

  1. The surveyor must file the record only when a court orders the boundary resolved
  2. The surveyor must file the Record of Survey within the statutory time after completing the survey Correct answer.
  3. The surveyor may delay filing until the adjoining owner agrees to the boundary location
  4. The surveyor must file only if the discrepancy exceeds one foot in position

Explanation

Section 8762 requires filing a Record of Survey within the statutory period after the survey is completed when the specified conditions are met, such as material discrepancies with the record. Neighbor agreement or a court order is not a precondition to filing. The statute does not set a one-foot threshold for the duty.

Question 44Legal Principles and Professional Practice

A surveyor discovers an original government monument that conflicts with a later-recorded subdivision map of the same area. In resolving the boundary, which evidence generally carries the greatest weight under long-settled boundary principles?

  1. The original government monument, because original monuments control over later record distances Correct answer.
  2. The recorded subdivision map, because it is the most recent official record
  3. The fence line maintained by the current occupant for the past five years
  4. The tax assessor's parcel lines, because they reflect current ownership

Explanation

Original monuments established by the government survey are generally controlling evidence, and courses and distances yield to them when they conflict. Later maps and assessor lines do not override an original corner properly identified. A recent fence alone does not displace the original monument absent a legal doctrine such as agreed boundary or prescription.

Question 45Legal Principles and Professional Practice

A surveyor is asked to locate a boundary for a client whose neighbor has threatened litigation. The surveyor's contract states the survey is for 'informational purposes only and not for boundary determination.' Which response is most consistent with professional practice standards?

  1. Sign and seal the map as a Record of Survey without noting the limited scope
  2. Perform a full boundary survey but omit the limitation to avoid confusing the client
  3. Refuse the engagement entirely because boundary work always requires litigation support
  4. Accept the limitation and clearly disclose the scope limitation in the map and report Correct answer.

Explanation

A surveyor may accept a limited-scope engagement but must clearly disclose the limitation so users are not misled about the nature of the work. Omitting the limitation or sealing it as a definitive boundary Record of Survey misrepresents the scope. Refusing all such engagements is not required by the standards.

Question 46Legal Principles and Professional Practice

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the California Land Surveyors' Act's continuing education requirement for license renewal?

  1. To mandate membership in a professional surveying association
  2. To guarantee that licensees learn the latest CAD software each renewal period
  3. To require licensees to retake the licensing examination every renewal cycle
  4. To ensure licensees maintain current knowledge relevant to the practice of land surveying Correct answer.

Explanation

Continuing education exists to keep licensees current in subjects relevant to land surveying practice. It does not require retaking the licensing exam or joining an association. Software training may count if relevant but is not the governing purpose.

Question 47Legal Principles and Professional Practice

A land surveyor is convicted of a crime substantially related to the qualifications or duties of a land surveyor. Under the disciplinary provisions of the Professional Land Surveyors' Act, what is the board authorized to do?

  1. Automatically transfer the license to a probationary trainee status
  2. Impose discipline including suspension or revocation of the license Correct answer.
  3. Take no action because criminal matters are outside the board's jurisdiction
  4. Require the licensee to surrender the license to the county surveyor

Explanation

The board may discipline a licensee for a conviction of a crime substantially related to the practice, including suspension or revocation. Criminal jurisdiction is not exclusive of administrative discipline. The board does not automatically convert a license to trainee status.

Question 48Legal Principles and Professional Practice

A surveyor prepares a tentative map for a subdivision. Under the Subdivision Map Act, which body is generally responsible for approving or conditionally approving the tentative map?

  1. The county recorder
  2. The legislative body of the city or county, or its designated advisory agency Correct answer.
  3. The state board that licenses land surveyors
  4. The California Department of Transportation

Explanation

The Subdivision Map Act vests tentative map approval in the city or county legislative body or its designated advisory agency. The county recorder files final maps but does not approve tentative maps. Caltrans and the licensing board have no approval role for local tentative maps.

Question 49Legal Principles and Professional Practice

A surveyor is retained to prepare an ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey. Which statement best describes the role of the surveyor relative to title matters shown on the survey?

  1. The surveyor must obtain a court decree quieting title before depicting any easement
  2. The surveyor depicts title matters furnished by the title company and does not adjudicate their validity Correct answer.
  3. The surveyor may ignore all title information and show only physical occupation
  4. The surveyor must independently render a legal opinion on the validity of each title exception

Explanation

The ALTA/NSPS standards direct the surveyor to show title matters as furnished by the title insurer, without rendering legal conclusions about their validity. Legal title opinions remain the province of attorneys. Ignoring furnished title information would defeat the purpose of the survey.

Question 50Legal Principles and Professional Practice

A surveyor's client instructs the surveyor to omit a discovered encroachment from a final map to avoid delaying the project. How should the surveyor respond?

  1. Refuse to omit material information that would mislead reviewing agencies or the public Correct answer.
  2. Comply, because the client controls the scope of the deliverable
  3. Comply but note the omission only in private field notes
  4. Report the client to the board before discussing the issue with the client

Explanation

A licensee may not knowingly falsify or omit material information from a survey deliverable, even at a client's request. The professional obligation to protect the public overrides client convenience. Private notes do not cure a misleading public record, and immediate reporting is not the first step.