What is the general order of importance for conflicting elements in a land description?

The correct order of importance for conflicting elements in a land description is grounded in established surveying principles that help ensure accurate interpretation of a property boundary. In this context, actual lines that have been run and marked take precedence because they represent the physical demarcation of the property as established by surveyors. These lines provide the most reliable evidence of boundary intentions.

Following that are natural monuments, which include physical features such as rivers, trees, and rocks. Natural monuments are generally more stable over time and can be used as reliable reference points since they are less likely to be altered or moved compared to artificial markers.

Artificial monuments follow, typically including things like fences or stakes that have been placed to signify a boundary but could be subject to change or removal.

The importance of adjoiners, or neighboring property descriptions, comes next as they provide context and additional information regarding neighboring land, though they don't directly influence the primary boundary being described.

Next in order are bearings, which refer to the direction of a property line. While important for establishing orientation, they can be less reliable if the starting point or lines are not clearly established.

Finally, distances and areas are considered the least critical in cases of conflict because they are dimensions used for quantifying property but do not