champerty

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.

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