Books I Had, Books I Just Aquired, and Books I Wish I Had

That is a lot of heavy reading there my man. I am glad that there are guys like you that can digest and put those laws to good use. I am more the field type and crunch the numbers for a tight boundary.

Posted by: @landbutcher464mhz

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That is a lot of heavy reading there my man. I am glad that there are guys like you that can digest and put those laws to good use. I am more the field type and crunch the numbers for a tight boundary.

Very true. But a stack of all the books needed for the technical side of surveying would be equally overpowering. And if one has studied the footnotes and cases from those well known survey books, you have a head start on understanding the law part.

For those studying for the registration exam, I suggest you stick with the survey books. That's where the exam questions come from and too much law might only confuse you. 

Another book I wish I had:

"you may want your expert, in addition to presenting testimony at trial, to be an integral part of your trial team."

Ordinary witnesses are sequestered and told not to discuss the case. There is an exception for expert witnesses. If you have proven your wealth to you client's attorney, he will qualify you as an expert at the trial start and have you sit with him through the trial. On cross examination be ready to answer questions about your advocacy for your client. 

Those all look like great books to have, though I've never heard of a single one of them. I consider Curtis Brown's "Boundary Control and Legal Principles" foundational to any surveying library.

I always recommend early editions of that book because they are cheap to buy and remain valid. IMO, Later editions have, besides being quite expensive, drifted away from "Principles" and have become increasingly complicated with the rare deviations. 

My premise was that the most valuable survey was one that mimicked the analysis a court would apply. Since I surveyed in Arkansas, it was the Arkansas court that got my attention.

Every State Supreme Court has a library used by aides for legal research. Most of these libraries have an online catalog. The books I had and used were in the Arkansas library along with most surveying authorities such as Brown. But Brown is general to all states and the books I posted here are specific to Arkansas. I suggest that surveyors should check what books are in the State Supreme Court Library where they work.

Surveyors have it so easy today. Most of the stuff you need to know is available with a computer, for free. That first law textbook cost me two day's wages when money was thin at my house. And I spent about two hours a week after work at a law school library studying (open to the public).

Shortly after being registered, I read in the newspaper legal notices that the Pulaski County Bar Association was conducting a one night per week, six weeks seminar titled Law For The Non-lawyer. The subject that summer was legal research, presented by the head librarian at the Supreme Court Library. The Bar offered this to educate law firm employees, but it was open to the public.

This turned out to be one of the best $50 I ever spent. It seems all State Supreme Court Libraries are open to the public. You might find it interesting to visit one. Tell a librarian you are a surveyor and you could get a grand tour.

Law schools always have libraries that are open to the public. Here in Portland my go-to is the Lewis & Clark College Law Library. When I was in Norman, Oklahoma the O.U. Law Library was a wonderful place to spend a quiet afternoon. On weekends there were usually more librarians in the building than students. And these are not dusty county libraries. Plush leather easy chairs and woodwork. Bring your own brandy and cigars. Ahhhhhh.....   

These days one can get most cases on-line for the googling.

Read this book!

It's worth the $20 cost if you only read the first 5 pages.

Available in PDF form from ... https://surveyor.arkansas.gov/resources/