Texas Surveyors Practice Exam

How is seniority determined in public land conveyances?

1. Date of delivery to the grantee

2. Date of survey

3. Date of filing

4. Date of purchase

The correct answer is: Date of survey

In public land conveyances, seniority is primarily determined by the date of survey. This is significant because the establishment of boundaries and the survey itself physically delineate the property and provide the necessary legal description for the land being conveyed. The date of survey solidifies the rights of ownership, as it serves as the benchmark for when a particular parcel of land was officially recognized and documented, thus influencing other parties regarding their claims or interests in relation to that parcel. Understanding the significance of the survey date is crucial for resolving disputes over land ownership and ensuring that claims are processed in an orderly and fair manner within the public land system. Other choices like the date of delivery to the grantee, the date of filing, and the date of purchase may also play roles in related legal contexts, but they do not provide the foundational basis for establishing the priority of rights over land in the same manner that the date of survey does. The survey acts as the starting point in establishing interests and rights in public land transactions, reflecting its critical importance in determining seniority.