BOUNDARY EXPERT ADVISOR - [D-709]

Boundary experts wanted pincushion corners are a persistent threat to the land surveying profession, eroding public confidence and undermining our authority as boundary experts. to address this issue, we need to understand its causes and how mentorship can stop the cycle. the damage it does - breeds distrust among courts, attorneys, and the public - increases costs due to future retracements becoming more difficult and expensive - erodes the profession by making it lose authority as boundary experts how pincushion corners happen 1. ego and overconfidence lead some surveyors to disregard existing evidence and set new corners based on their own calculations 2. fear of liability causes others to default to setting new corners, despite prior monuments being defensible 3. lack of historical understanding leads surveyors to rely solely on coordinates and record plats, ignoring reality on the ground 4. production pressure forces some firms to prioritize speed over precision, leading to corner-littering 5. poor training and isolation result in surveyors lacking the skills to resolve conflicting deed calls, evaluate occupation evidence, and research historical records 6. a culture that tolerates pincushioning contributes to its persistence how mentorship can stop the cycle 1. mentorship teaches evidence hierarchy and shows young surveyors how to weigh different types of evidence 2. experienced mentors model courage and humility, explaining why holding a prior monument is often the most defensible decision 3. mentors emphasize communication, teaching surveyors how to explain t...