You raise several questions which are best ansewered by persons familar with land surveying in Texas and their standards of practice.

Your last two sentences are a good summation of your comments and questions. 

Your explanations and questions appear to support the need for  ethics education as a continuing education requirment.

As qualification for my comments - I practiced, in Texas, as a land surveyor and civil engineer for over 40 years.

I leave with this simple thought "if you think something is not right or question the legal nature of the activity, it probably is not ethical".

Thanks for your attention,

Johnny Ingram

211 East Henderson

Jefferson, Texas 75657

903-665-8802

[email protected]