(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 recovered
See also maintenance
Derived forms
champertous (ˈchampertous)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Anglo-French champartie, from Old French champart share of produce, from champ field + part share (a feudal lord's)
champerty in American English
(ˈtʃæmpərti)
nounWord forms: pluralˈchamperties
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
Derived forms
champertous (ˈchampertous) (ˈtʃæmpərtəs)
adjective
Word 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 & part2