cham·per·ty   (chām'pər-tē)    n.   pl. cham·per·ties A sharing in the proceeds of a lawsuit by an outside party who has promoted the litigation. [Middle English champartie, from Old French champart, the lord's share of the tenant's crop, from Medieval Latin campars, campīpars : Latin campī, genitive of campus, field + Latin pars, part; see part.] cham'per·tous (-təs) adj.

Champerty

Cham"per*ty\, n. [F. champart field rent, L. campipars; champ (L. campus) field + part (L. pars) share.]

1. Partnership in power; equal share of authority. [Obs.]

Beaut['e] ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardyness, Ne may with Venus holde champartye. --Chaucer.

2. (Law) The prosecution or defense of a suit, whether by furnishing money or personal services, by one who has no legitimate concern therein, in consideration of an agreement that he shall receive, in the event of success, a share of the matter in suit; maintenance with the addition of an agreement to divide the thing in suit. See Maintenance.

Note: By many authorities champerty is defined as an agreement of this nature. From early times the offence of champerty has been forbidden and punishable.

Main Entry: cham·per·ty
Pronunciation: 'cham-p&r-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties
Etymology: Anglo-French champartie bargaining for a share of disputed property, from champart share of crops paid as rent, share of property in dispute, from champ field + part portion
: an unenforceable agreement by which a person with otherwise no interest in a lawsuit agrees to aid in or carry on its litigation in consideration of a share of the subject matter of the suit (as property or damages) —compare MAINTENANCE