Law an act or proceeding by which a person who is not concerned in a lawsuit makes a bargain with one of the litigants to help maintain the costs of the suit in return for a share of any proceeds: illegal in most states
Origin:
ME champartie < OFr champart, the lord's share in the crop of a tenant's land < L campi pars < campi, gen. of campus, field + pars, part: see campus & part