In which area are legal descriptions using the government survey system not commonly used?

Legal descriptions using the government survey system, also known as the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), are primarily utilized in areas that were part of the western expansion of the United States, where land was surveyed and divided by the federal government. The system is marked by townships and ranges, providing a systematic way to describe land based on geometric lines and sections.

In contrast, the original 13 states, including regions such as New England and the Mid-Atlantic, were settled and granted before the establishment of the PLSS. Consequently, these states typically use a metes and bounds system for legal descriptions, which relies on physical landmarks and geographic features rather than a systematic grid. Therefore, this area is not commonly associated with the government survey system, as the infrastructure for land descriptions was already well-established prior to its implementation.

On the other hand, states like California and Texas, as well as rural areas in general, have adopted the government survey system due to their later settlement and development. Commercial real estate can utilize various forms of legal descriptions, including those from the government survey system, depending on the property's location and local regulations. Hence, the original 13 states stand out as the area where the government survey system is not commonly employed.