champerty Hear it!

champerty Definition

cham·perty (c̸ham′pər tē)

noun pl. -·ties

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

Etymology: 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

champerty Related Forms
cham′·per·tous (-təs) adjective
champerty Law Definition

n

An agreement between a litigant and a person who is not a party to the action, including the litigant’s lawyer, for that person to pursue or financially support the litigant’s claim in exchange for a portion of any damages awarded. The practice was once prohibited by the common law and it is still forbidden in some states, thereby casting doubt on the legality of lawyers advancing costs for their clients, as in the payment of expert witness fees.

v

To financially support or otherwise maintain or promote another person’s claim.

Browse dictionary entries near champerty

  1. ‹ champers
  2. ‹ champaign
  3. ‹ champagne
  4. ‹ champac
  5. ‹ champ
  6. ‹ Chamorro
  7. ‹ Chamonix
  8. ‹ chamomile
  9. ‹ chamois
  10. ‹ chamfron
  1. champignon ›
  2. champion ›
  3. championship ›
  4. Champlain ›
  5. champlevé ›
  6. Champollion ›
  7. Chanc ›
  8. chance ›
  9. chance-medley ›
  10. chanceful ›