1-Stop Dictionary Reference

Champerty

Acceptable For Game Play - US & UK word lists

This word is acceptable for play in the US & UK dictionaries that are being used in the following games:

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

n. A sharing in the proceeds of a lawsuit by an outside party who has promoted the litigation.

Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. investing money into an individual’s law suit.

the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English

n. Partnership in power; equal share of authority.

n. 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.

The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

n. In law, a species of maintenance, being a bargain which a person not otherwise interested makes with a plaintiff or defendant to receive a share of the land or other matter in suit in the event of success, the champertor carrying on or assisting to carry on the party's suit or defense at his own expense; the purchase of a suit or the right of suing. Champerty is a punishable offense by common law, and in some jurisdictions by statute.

n. A partnership in power. Also written champarty.

WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

n. an unethical agreement between an attorney and client that the attorney would sue and pay the costs of the client's suit in return for a portion of the damages awarded

Word Usage

"There is a centuries-old principle in law, called "champerty," that prevents third parties from buying an interest in another's lawsuit."

Hypernym

Words that are more generic or abstract

wrongful conduct misconduct wrongdoing actus reus

Cross Reference

barratry

Variant

maintenance