Agenda
Registration: 8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session: 8:30 – 11:45 am
Lunch (On your own): 11:45 am – 12:45 pm
Afternoon Session: 12:45 – 4:30 pm
Locating Land Boundaries on Paper (And on the Ground)
Interpreting land descriptions
• Metes and bounds
• Lot and block
• Dos and don’ts for writing descriptions
Applying principles of boundary location
• Collecting and evaluating all types of boundary
evidence: documents, physical evidence, people, surveys
• Locating the described land on a map
• Locating the described land on the ground
• Understanding and using geographic information systems (GIS)
Solving land description and boundary location problems
Identifying, Classifying and Locating Easements
What is and is not an easement
Reviewing state law on easements
Creating easements: easements by necessity, easements
by use, written easements
Identifying critical distinctions between easements in gross,
easements appurtenant and prescriptive easements
Maintaining easements
Knowing when and how to terminate easements
Obstructing use of easements and determining remedies
for obstruction
Defining Trespass and Adverse Possession
Defining trespass
Reviewing the history of adverse possession
Maintaining a claim for adverse possession
• Statute of limitations
• Elements of a claim
Defending against a claim for adverse possession
Examining recent adverse possession cases
Resolving Boundary Disputes
Types of boundary disputes
• Adverse possession, easements, boundaries
Obtaining and reviewing boundary evidence
Methods for establishing disputed boundaries
Participating in dispute resolution techniques
• Litigation, arbitration, mediation, agreements, title insurance
Dealing with fences in dispute situations
Boundary Case Studies
State line disputes and how they evolve
Research techniques and historical data
Gathering evidence from the field
Explaining boundary decisions to clients
Credits
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers a non-mandatory continuing education opportunity to Massachusetts attorneys, engineers, land surveyors, and other interested professionals.
Massachusetts engineers and land surveyors licensed in states with a continuing education requirement will be able to apply the hours earned at this seminar toward those requirements, in most cases. Since the topics covered in this seminar are specific to Massachusetts, it will not qualify for New York engineer or land surveyor continuing education credit. Refer to specific state rules to determine course eligibility.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
Barry E. Savage, PLS
Survey Products Group Manager with Tennessee Valley Authority in Chattanooga, TNPrior to his service at TVA, Mr. Savage was in private survey practice for 10 years specializing in dispute resolution and expert witness services. He has surveyed several disputed state boundaries to resolve jurisdictional conflicts. Mr. Savage is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State Community College where he teaches courses in boundary law, geodesy, GIS, and surveying fundamentals. He has researched and retraced the historical surveys of Henry David Thoreau and has published several articles on the subject. Mr. Savage teaches exam review and continuing education seminars at various state and local conferences across the country.
