TSPS Chapter 5 Seminar (2026)

Mock Trial (Hybrid)

with Gary Kent, PS

8:00 am - 12:00 pm CST    4 PDHs (1hr Ethics)

This mock trial is based on an actual boundary dispute that was litigated in court. Two attorneys and a judge will participate – with the audience sitting as jury – as the plaintiff and defendant, and the two surveyors testify and we explore relevant issues such as the chains of title, conflicting lines of possession, the related boundary law principles, and differing claims of title, both written and unwritten. As an integral part of the trial, questions will be taken from the audience.  Throughout the day, the audience will observe and learn about court room procedures including direct and cross-examination, the juries will compare and debate the merits of the defendant’s and plaintiff’s cases, and the day will end with a presentation on the characteristics of good expert witnesses and what purpose they serve.

Red River Boundary

with Dr. Davey Edwards, PhD, PLS, LSLS, CFedS

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm CST    2 PDHs (2hr Ethics)

One of the most difficult but easily identifiable boundaries in any cadastral system is a call for the river. However, legal interpretation of the exact position of these boundaries can cause quite a bit of confusion with not only the layman but also the professional.

This course goes into an in-depth discussion of river morphology and how that relates to riparian boundaries. It looks at some of the legal principles that address river morphology like accretion/erosion, reliction, and avulsion.

Leadership in Surveying

with Dr. Davey Edwards, PhD, PLS, LSLS, CFedS

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm CST    2 PDHs (2hr Ethics)

Dr. Davey Edwards, PhD, PLS, LSLS, CFedS is a Survey Technical Director at Dunaway in Fort Worth, TX. He is a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in Texas, Oklahoma and the U.S. Virgin Islands, a Texas Licensed State Land Surveyor, and a U.S. Certified Federal Land Surveyor.

Dr. Edwards holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in Geospatial Surveying Engineering from Texas A&M University, and a doctorate in Geosciences from the University of Texas, where his research focused on land administration systems and riparian boundary morphology.

An experienced educator and advocate for professional development, Dr. Edwards teaches continuing education courses and has served as a professor at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, New Mexico State University, Weatherford College, and is now an adjunct professor at Lone Star College – Montgomery. He is also the United States Delegate to the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Commission 2 on Professional Education, contributing to global collaboration in surveying education. He has recently been selected to serve as a program evaluator for ABET.

Dr. Edwards has recently been appointed to the National Geospatial Advisory Committee of the Federal Geographic Data Committee. He is a past president of the National Society of Professional Surveyors and a past president of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors. He currently serves as a Survey Emeritus member of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and advises its Surveying Advisory Committee. He continues to serve on various committees with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying as a delegate from the Texas Board. His previous leadership includes service on the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying, and as Director of the Texas Spatial Reference Center.

With extensive field experience across Texas and Oklahoma, Dr. Edwards specializes in original land grant surveys, riparian boundary surveys, and boundary issue resolution. His expertise has been sought by state and federal officials, and he frequently provides expert consultation on complex boundary and jurisdictional matters.

State Plane Reference Frames (virtual)

with Amanda Jonas, RPLS with the Texas Spatial Reference Center at the Conrad Blucher Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

8:00 am - 10:00 pm CST    2 PDHs

This seminar will provide an update on the National Geodetic Survey’s modernization of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), including the replacement of NAD 83 and NAVD 88 with new geometric and geopotential reference frames. We will cover updated timelines, what the changes mean for practicing surveyors in Texas, and the role of the Texas Spatial Reference Center (TSRC) in supporting the transition.

ALTA Standards Overview (virtual)

with Gary Kent, PS

10:00 am - 12:00 pm CST    2 PDHs

After 5 years of work on the part of the Joint ALTA/NSPS Work Group, the 2026 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys were adopted by ALTA and NSPS in October 2025 with an effective date of February 23, 2026. This program outlines the changes from the 2021 Standards and provides a detailed explanation of the reason for each and how each affects the surveyor. Emphasis will be given to the most significant changes including an improved definition of Relative Positional Precision, changes to the Section 4 Records Research requirements, new clarity on what processes and procedures may be employed in performing a Land Title Survey (including a change to Table A item 15), better clarity as related to the Section 5 Easements and Servitudes section, and a new Table A item calling for a table identifying certain conditions that were observed in the process of conducting the survey. In addition, an overview of the entire set of 2026 Standards will be provided, including a detailed explanation of the relationship between Land Title Surveys and title insurance. Guidance on certification to successors and assigns will be provided, and throughout the program, the presenter will include ethics considerations and answer any and all questions relating to Land Title Surveys.