Legal Descriptions Flashcards
Legal Description
accurately locates and identifies the boundaries of property
Metes and Bounds Description
identifies the boundaries of property using reference points, distances, and angles
Why was the ‘Rectangular Survey System’ (aka Public Land Survey System) developed?
developed by the federal government as a way to simplify and standardize property descriptions
Which method was developed by federal government to replace the Metes and Bounds Method?
Rectangular Survey System
Parallels (Township lines)
run east and west.
Meridians (Range Lines)
run north and south
Range
The north-south area between consecutive meridians
How wide are ranges?
six miles wide
What Legal Description method uses ‘Sections’ to divide a township?
The Rectangular Survey System
How big are “sections” in the rectangular survey system?
640 acres (1 square mile)
What are ‘sections’ in regards to Legal Descriptions?
the 36 squares that a township is divided up into using the rectangular survey system
Lot and Block System (aka recorded plat method)
when tracts of land are subdivided into lots
*Used to describe properties in residential, commercial, and industrial subdivisions
what are ‘Datums’ in regards to legal descriptions?
Standard elevation reference points
PLSS
(one of the legal description methods)
Public Land Survey System (aka Rectangular Survey System)
How many sq ft are in an Acre?
43,560 sqft
