Aerial Photo Interpretation as a Powerful Evidentiary Tool in Legal Proceedings
A solid evidentiary foundation is the backbone of any legal proceeding. The ability to collect accurate and high-quality evidence in a timely manner largely determines the range of options available to both plaintiffs and defendants in courts. This becomes even more crucial when it comes to real estate disputes. Often, measurement assessments or appraisals do not provide sufficiently accurate data to substantiate claims about property boundaries, municipal tax rates, or land ownership and usage history. Frequently, such data is not available at all. Traditional methods of evidence collection, such as witness affidavits, are often characterized by questionable reliability. This is likely why many law firms today are turning to the services of aerial photo interpretation experts. This tool is emerging as a truly revolutionary factor in civil law and offers an unprecedented level of accuracy and reliability that can significantly impact the outcomes of trials. The experts at GEOward explain how this field is influencing the legal world today.
How is aerial photo interpretation used for legal purposes?
Aerial photo interpretation is a long-standing technique with roots dating back to World War II. Through careful analysis of images taken from aircraft or satellites, significant information can be extracted about terrain, structures, and the movement of objects across relatively large areas. While this technique was primarily used for military purposes for years, its enormous potential for legal purposes is now being realized. By visually documenting locations from the air, either for a relevant time frame or over a period of time, much can be learned about the terrain and critical features pertaining to real estate issues can be identified.
By comparing aerial photographs over different time periods, experts can track changes in land use, identify unauthorized structures, and unequivocally verify property boundaries or infrastructure routes. In a field where, until now, stakeholders only had access to assessments and evidence in documents, a tool demonstrating objectivity and clarity has entered the scene. The overview offered by aerial photography significantly surpasses other forms of evidence, making it a valuable resource in real estate disputes and many other civil legal issues today.
Historical Documentation
Aerial photographs can provide visual illustration of time-dependent processes and show changes in property condition and uses over time. When there is ambiguity about historical land use or disputes regarding construction processes, this tool can be used to great effect. Aerial photography can clearly demonstrate when a particular building existed or what uses were made of the land, and by comparing previous shooting dates to current conditions, examine which construction is legal and which might constitute a violation.
Visual clarity
Aerial photographs can be used to create clear and detailed maps illustrating the exact condition of a property. This visual clarity assists judges and juries in understanding complex issues related to land and property.
Comprehensive coverage
Aerial photo interpretation covers vast areas that other documentation methods are unable to encompass. By comprehensively surveying the area, the situation can be examined across numerous properties or over extensive land areas.
Non-invasive solution
Despite its accuracy and wide-ranging coverage, the use of aerial photographs does not constitute trespassing and does not interfere with various processes that may be taking place on the ground. Thus, evidence can be collected without limitation while simultaneously ensuring that the documentation does not affect what is happening at the site.
Leaders in aerial photo interpretation for legal proceedings
GEOward leads the field of aerial photo interpretation in Israel, offering professional expertise and uncompromising accuracy in every procedure. We work diligently to ensure that we extract accurate and valuable data from aerial photographs. This commitment proves itself anew in every case.
In one of the cases we represented, aerial photographs from several years were used to cancel an administrative demolition order issued against five buildings. According to the local authority, these structures were new and built without a permit. Our analysis of several aerial photographs over the years provided solid evidence that these buildings had been standing for a long period. Our expert opinion led to the cancellation of the demolition order and even clarified that faced with solid evidence, the council representatives had no arguments to substantiate their cause.
In another case, as part of a compensation claim filed against Netivei Israel (Israel's national transport infrastructure company), the plaintiff was required to prove in which year and exact months Netivei Israel entered the plot owned by the plaintiff. The aerial photographs revealed a clear and unequivocal picture. Earth embankments and barriers placed in the area were clearly visible and could be precisely dated. The analysis allowed us to construct an accurate timeline of changes to the land. This evidentiary material led to a settlement agreement in which the plaintiff received a handsome compensation amount.
Fully committed to your success
With over 22 years of experience, we offer lawyers and legal entities enhanced modern solutions that enable the extraction of information from terrain using advanced documentation tools. Over the years we have helped establish legal evidence for a variety of cases in the real estate world and for large-scale entrepreneurial projects, while closely collaborating with leading law firms, architects, and appraisers in Israel. We are committed to providing you with top-tier solutions and to working diligently to ensure that we can continue to maintain our high success rates and the deep trust we enjoy from a long list of clients.
For more information about our activities and the benefits available to you as part of our service, we invite you to contact us today. Our office team will get back to you promptly with all the details and schedule a consultation meeting with you.
