diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index de2107bb3..80d1df356 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 *.DS_Store
+.idea
 
 # Generated by Cargo
 # will have compiled files and executables
diff --git a/src/array/mixed/array.rs b/src/array/mixed/array.rs
index c653d64dd..3c629c4bf 100644
--- a/src/array/mixed/array.rs
+++ b/src/array/mixed/array.rs
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ pub struct MixedGeometryArray<O: OffsetSizeTrait> {
     slice_offset: usize,
 }
 
-// TODO: rename to "GeometryType"?
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
 pub enum GeometryType {
     Point = 0,
diff --git a/src/io/geos/scalar/linearring.rs b/src/io/geos/scalar/linearring.rs
index d90762cb7..a2e0092a5 100644
--- a/src/io/geos/scalar/linearring.rs
+++ b/src/io/geos/scalar/linearring.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::error::Result;
+use crate::error::{GeoArrowError, Result};
 use geos::{Geom, GeometryTypes};
 
 pub struct GEOSConstLinearRing<'a, 'b>(pub(crate) geos::ConstGeometry<'a, 'b>);
@@ -10,10 +10,13 @@ impl<'a, 'b> GEOSConstLinearRing<'a, 'b> {
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::ConstGeometry<'a, 'b>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::LinearRing));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::LinearRing) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be linear ring".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn num_coords(&self) -> usize {
diff --git a/src/io/geos/scalar/linestring.rs b/src/io/geos/scalar/linestring.rs
index b754cf0c9..3b4075c90 100644
--- a/src/io/geos/scalar/linestring.rs
+++ b/src/io/geos/scalar/linestring.rs
@@ -50,12 +50,14 @@ impl<'a> GEOSLineString<'a> {
     pub fn new_unchecked(geom: geos::Geometry<'a>) -> Self {
         Self(geom)
     }
-
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::Geometry<'a>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::LineString));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::LineString) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be line string".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -114,10 +116,13 @@ impl<'a, 'b> GEOSConstLineString<'a, 'b> {
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::ConstGeometry<'a, 'b>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::LineString));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::LineString) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be line string".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/io/geos/scalar/multilinestring.rs b/src/io/geos/scalar/multilinestring.rs
index 27284423f..68af5ac23 100644
--- a/src/io/geos/scalar/multilinestring.rs
+++ b/src/io/geos/scalar/multilinestring.rs
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ impl<'a> GEOSMultiLineString<'a> {
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::Geometry<'a>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(
-            geom.geometry_type(),
-            GeometryTypes::MultiLineString
-        ));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::MultiLineString) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be multi line string".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn num_lines(&self) -> usize {
diff --git a/src/io/geos/scalar/multipoint.rs b/src/io/geos/scalar/multipoint.rs
index 23f2cc888..bb0cc1b59 100644
--- a/src/io/geos/scalar/multipoint.rs
+++ b/src/io/geos/scalar/multipoint.rs
@@ -38,10 +38,13 @@ impl<'a> GEOSMultiPoint<'a> {
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::Geometry<'a>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::MultiPoint));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::MultiPoint) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be multi point".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn num_points(&self) -> usize {
diff --git a/src/io/geos/scalar/multipolygon.rs b/src/io/geos/scalar/multipolygon.rs
index 2ed490eb9..3c1b713ee 100644
--- a/src/io/geos/scalar/multipolygon.rs
+++ b/src/io/geos/scalar/multipolygon.rs
@@ -39,10 +39,13 @@ impl<'a> GEOSMultiPolygon<'a> {
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::Geometry<'a>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::MultiPolygon));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::MultiPolygon) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be multi polygon".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn num_polygons(&self) -> usize {
diff --git a/src/io/geos/scalar/point.rs b/src/io/geos/scalar/point.rs
index a76835f10..c6d355b0d 100644
--- a/src/io/geos/scalar/point.rs
+++ b/src/io/geos/scalar/point.rs
@@ -33,10 +33,13 @@ impl<'a> GEOSPoint<'a> {
     }
 
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::Geometry<'a>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::Point));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::Point) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be point".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -96,10 +99,13 @@ impl<'a, 'b> GEOSConstPoint<'a, 'b> {
     }
 
     pub fn try_new(geom: &'a geos::ConstGeometry<'a, 'b>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::Point));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::Point) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be point".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/io/geos/scalar/polygon.rs b/src/io/geos/scalar/polygon.rs
index 5db3c9429..a9d2b71a3 100644
--- a/src/io/geos/scalar/polygon.rs
+++ b/src/io/geos/scalar/polygon.rs
@@ -45,10 +45,13 @@ impl<'a> GEOSPolygon<'a> {
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::Geometry<'a>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::LineString));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::Polygon) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be polygon".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
@@ -88,10 +91,13 @@ impl<'a, 'b> GEOSConstPolygon<'a, 'b> {
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub fn try_new(geom: geos::ConstGeometry<'a, 'b>) -> Result<Self> {
-        // TODO: make Err
-        assert!(matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::LineString));
-
-        Ok(Self(geom))
+        if matches!(geom.geometry_type(), GeometryTypes::Polygon) {
+            Ok(Self(geom))
+        } else {
+            Err(GeoArrowError::General(
+                "Geometry type must be polygon".to_string(),
+            ))
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn num_interiors(&self) -> usize {