Writing Legal Descriptions

Start by referring to a plat, if possible. Avoid o.d. Books if possible
(But takings must have original descriptions ver batum)
Include area.
At the end, try to say "also known as lot 7 on the unrecorded plat of
Money bags acres." and do say "being the utility easement for the rear
Of the lots in block 7, money bag acres, pud."
Reference (log) on plat & original drawing.

Metes & bounds
A mete is anything that is meted out, or measured. It's the direction
And distance part of the written description. The mathematics part.
The bounds is the english part, the descriptive part. Just think of where you tell a child to stay.
"Stay out of the road" becomes "to the south line of Dead End road, a sixty foot right of way."

Referring to recorded documents:
Plats that were dade and are now palm beach county;
Plats that were palm beach and are now martin county;
Must be described in whichever county the numbers are for. (To keep the numbers right)
For Example:
Lot five (5), Block six (6), "Pompano Acres", as formerly recorded in Plat Book 7, Page 8, Public records of Palm Beach County, now Martin County.
Verbiage:
Parallel with or perpendicular to;
Writing tactics:
* n 5' of s 1/2 less the following described parcel;
* n 500' of s 1500'
(As measured perpendicular to south line) or
(As measured along east line)
* when referring to a r/w line call out the r/w width
* reference p.o.c.'s etc. To recorded documents (unrecorded won't do)
When there's no traversing to the point of beginning use "beginning
at ... Thence ... Thence ... Returning to the point of beginning."
Otherwise use "commencing at... Thence... To the point of
Beginning; thence... Thence... Returning to the point of beginning.
Try to go clockwise around the parcel.
If possible, try to continue the line from commencement to
Beginning into the parcel e.g. "Thence continue along said line a
Distance of"
Use n 89 50' 50" e, not n. 89 50' 50" e., not north 89 50'50" east
Avoid "to a point" in the sense of iron rod, monument etc. It's
okay in the sense of pt, pc, poc etc.
A regular line
Thence n 89 50' 50" e, a distance of 99.99 feet; or (preferred) thence
N 89 50' 50" e, along the north line of said section, a distance of
99.99 feet;
When line hits a tangent curve
Thence n 89 50' 50" e, a distance of 99.99 feet to the point of
Curvature of a curve concave to the right/left and having a radius of
99.99 feet; said curve being (describe); thence Northwesterly along
Said curve, through a central angle of 90 00' 00", a distance of 100.00
Feet to the end of said curve
When line hits radial curve
Thence n 89 50' 50" e, radial to the next described curve, a distance
Of 99.99 feet to the point of cusp of a curve concave to the southwest
And having a radius of 99.99 feet; said curve being (describe); thence
Northwesterly along said curve, through a central angle of 90 00' 00",
A distance of 100.00 feet to the end of said curve
When line hits anon-tangent, non-radial curve
Thence n 89 50' 50" e, A distance of 99.99 feet to the point of cusp
Of a curve concave to the southwest and having a radius distance of
99.99 feet, whose radius point bears n 89 50' 55" e; said curve being
(describe); thence Northwesterly along said curve, through a central
Angle of 90 00' 00", a distance of 100.00 feet to the end of said curve
When curve hits tangent
Replace "to the end of said curve" with "to the point of tangency." Related Links More Survey Stuff | Tell a Friend | Home Page | Next Item