Texas Surveyors Practice Exam

What legal concept is closely associated with the determination of ownership between adjoining parcels of land?

1. Encroachment

2. Easement

3. Strips and Gore Doctrine

4. Zoning

The correct answer is: Strips and Gore Doctrine

The Strips and Gore Doctrine is a legal concept that pertains to the determination of ownership and boundary lines between adjoining parcels of land, specifically when a boundary line changes due to natural events. This doctrine addresses the situation where a landowner's property may unintentionally gain or lose land adjacent to them due to erosion, accretion, or avulsion. Under this principle, if a piece of land (such as a strip of land or a gore area) is formed unexpectedly, the ownership of that land is generally awarded to the owner of the adjoining property from which it is formed, based on the principle that a landowner should not lose property rights due to natural changes in land configuration. Other concepts do exist in property law, such as encroachment, which deals with a situation where a structure from one property extends onto another property without permission, and easement, which refers to a right to use someone else's land for a specific purpose. Zoning, on the other hand, relates to land-use regulations set by municipalities and does not directly deal with the determination of ownership between adjoining parcels. Therefore, the Strips and Gore Doctrine is the most relevant legal concept regarding ownership issues between adjacent properties.