A strong case for experience: expert witness Doug Schneider

When a landowner has a boundary line or other property dispute, experience counts. That’s where our own Doug Schneider comes in. He brings nearly 40 years of experience as a Registered Professional Civil Engineer and Registered Professional Land Surveyor to complex property rights and land use questions—including legal disputes.

On the witness stand

Doug’s expertise has made him a go-to expert witness for clients bringing cases in the Massachusetts Land Court and Superior Court. Recent cases have ranged from boundary determinations to driveway right-of-way disputes. Doug’s witness testimonies make full use of his dual expertise in civil engineering and land surveying, together with a knack for researching property records gained through years of experience.

“Often we’re dealing with titles written 100 or more years ago. This requires a deep dive into the title to try and understand the original intent of the conveyances,” Doug explains. “Sometimes there’s information that is not obvious on its face. But you go back in time and you find little nuggets that can bring some clarity.”

A talent for analysis

No matter what the case involves, Doug brings a thoroughness to his research. “You have to be very confident in your position, which takes extra time to tunnel down and analyze everything. You have to question everything and ask yourself, what am I missing?”

Doug’s performance on the witness stand has even garnered attention from opposing counsel. “In one case I was involved in, the opposition attorney called me several weeks after the trial and asked if I would help out one of his clients because he liked the way I presented myself in court,” Doug recalls. “He told his client I was ‘extremely competent,’ which was an unexpected and tremendous compliment.”

Expertise is earned

Technology advances have improved many aspects of civil engineering and land surveying—from GPS and GIS to drone-based aerial mapping. But there’s no substitute for the knowledge that comes with decades of work in the field and in the registry of deeds.

“Anybody can make a measurement. Understanding what the measurement means is the art of Surveying,” Doug explains. “The human component of analysis is critically important. Being able to look at something and decide whether it makes sense or whether something doesn’t feel right. That takes experience.”