Court Ruling Confirmed Hicks and Mann Survey Inaccurate
HMI's survey, ruled inaccurate by Grant County's Judge Knight, cost us six years of legal fighting, thousands in legal bills, significantly delayed building a home, and L. Murphy refused to refund our money after guaranteeing he would.
Hicks and Mann, a surveying company that claims to be staffed by professionals with years of experience, purports to deliver thorough and accurate results using the latest surveying equipment and techniques. Their website boasts that they "always provide thorough and accurate results," and they quote Scripture from the Bible: "Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set... Proverbs 22:28."
We hired Hicks and Mann to conduct a survey of our land. The surveyor, Charles Cleveland, completed the survey in a manner that incorrectly allocated a significant portion of our land, including our only driveway access, to our neighbor. When we presented Cleveland with language from the deeds indicating that the properties should meet at the "center" of the roadway, allowing both parties access, he refused to clarify where in his survey the properties met at this central point (because his survey did not reflect that requirement).
We brought the issue to Logan Murphy, Cleveland's supervisor, who said that if we could demonstrate that the survey was incorrect, we would receive a refund. Murphy even signed a "guarantee" to this effect. However, after facing a lawsuit due to the erroneous survey, the judge ruled in our favor on November 6, 2023, in case 21-CI-00208 of the Grant County Circuit Court. The ruling confirmed that we owned to the center of the road and had the right to use the entire roadway.
Despite presenting this ruling to Logan Murphy, he refused to refund our money, insisting that a surveyor's opinion stating the survey was wrong was necessary for a refund. We explained that a judge's ruling and order supersedes a surveyor's opinion, but Murphy remained intransigent. It is noteworthy that their business cannot be found on the BBB.
Hicks and Mann's claims of accuracy and reliability in their survey work are unfounded. They fail to honor their written and signed guarantees when confronted with their mistakes. This review serves as a warning to everyone in Grant and surrounding counties: avoid hiring Hicks and Mann for any survey work. Their false advertising and refusal to stand by their guarantees demonstrate a lack of integrity and professionalism and may cost you dearly.