Thesaurus: champerty

Related headwords

Definitions

1. n. Partnership in power; equal share of authority.
2. 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.
3. 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
4. 1. Partnership in power; equal share of authority. [Obs.] Beauté 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.
5. The prosecution or defense of a suit, whether by furnishingmoney or personal services, by one who has no legitimate concerntherein, in consideration of an agreement that he shall receive, inthe event of success, a share of the matter in suit; maintenance withthe addition of an agreement to divide the thing in suit. SeeMaintenance.
6. 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