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champerty

[cham-per-tee]
noun Law.
  1. a sharing in the proceeds of litigation by one who agrees with either the plaintiff or defendant to help promote it or carry it on.
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Origin of champerty

1300–50; Middle English champartie, equivalent to champart (< Middle French: share of the produce, literally, of the field, equivalent to champ field (see camp1) + part share, see part) + -ie -y3
Related formscham·per·tous, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for champerty

Historical Examples

  • In England, contingent fees are held to be clearly within the statutes of champerty and maintenance.

    An Essay on Professional Ethics

    George Sharswood

British Dictionary definitions for champerty

champerty

noun plural -ties
  1. law (formerly) an illegal bargain between a party to litigation and an outsider whereby the latter agrees to pay for the action and thereby share in any proceeds recoveredSee also maintenance
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Derived Formschampertous, adjective

Word Origin

C14: from Anglo-French champartie, from Old French champart share of produce, from champ field + part share (a feudal lord's)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012